Punctuated Change

Abstract

The pace of change is a central question regarding evolutionary dynamics. Some management theorists have pointed to processes of punctuated change; however, it is argued here that such accounts have generally under-attended to the multi-level nature of these processes and in particular to the critical role of speciation. By recognizing the multi-level nature of these dynamics, we can reconcile our often conflicting sense of organizations and technologies as undergoing periods of rapid change, while still conforming to a gradualist perspective with regard to the underlying elements of organizational capabilities and technologies. This argument is developed to consider change processes in three different contexts: the pace of technological change, shifts in organizational strategy and capabilities, and changes in the scope of firms.