This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Argote, L. Articles by Greve, H. R. Search for Related Content

A Behavioral Theory of the Firm—40 Years and Counting: Introduction and Impact

Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
Norwegian School of Management BI, 0442 Oslo, Norway
argote{at}andrew.cmu.edu
henrich.greve{at}bi.no

In this introductory piece, we take stock of the impact of Cyert and March’s A Behavioral Theory of the Firm, describe current research trends in the behavioral tradition, and introduce the special issue’s papers. A Behavioral Theory of the Firm is one of the most influential management books of all time. In the book, Cyert and March developed theoretical building blocks that became the foundations for current research in organizational studies in management, economics, political science, and sociology. Cyert and March also made theoretical propositions that are investigated and extended in current work on organizational learning theory and evolutionary economics.

Key Words: behavioral theory; bounded rationality; search; aspiration levels; organizational learning; routines; innovation

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Bidwell Problems Deciding: How the Structure of Make-or-Buy Decisions Leads to Transaction Misalignment Organization Science, March 1, 2010; 21(2): 362 - 379. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. G. King, T. Felin, and D. A. Whetten Perspective--Finding the Organization in Organizational Theory: A Meta-Theory of the Organization as a Social Actor Organization Science, January 1, 2010; 21(1): 290 - 305. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. Labianca, J. F. Fairbank, G. Andrevski, and M. Parzen Striving toward the future: aspiration--performance discrepancies and planned organizational change Strategic Organization, November 1, 2009; 7(4): 433 - 466. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. Rerup Attentional Triangulation: Learning from Unexpected Rare Crises Organization Science, September 1, 2009; 20(5): 876 - 893. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Jiang Wu, Bin Hu, Yu Zhang, C. Spence, S. B. Hall, and K. M. Carley An Agent-based Simulation Study for Exploring Organizational Adaptation SIMULATION, June 1, 2009; 85(6): 397 - 413. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Augier and D. J. Teece Dynamic Capabilities and the Role of Managers in Business Strategy and Economic Performance Organization Science, March 1, 2009; 20(2): 410 - 421. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Peteraf, C. N. Pitelis, and M. Zollo On `The Metamorphosis of (the Theory of) the Firm': An Introduction Organization Studies, August 1, 2008; 29(8-9): 1109 - 1115. [PDF]

				E. Matta and J. McGuire Too Risky to Hold? The Effect of Downside Risk, Accumulated Equity Wealth, and Firm Performance on CEO Equity Reduction Organization Science, July 1, 2008; 19(4): 567 - 580. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W.-R. Chen Determinants of Firms' Backward- and Forward-Looking R&D Search Behavior Organization Science, July 1, 2008; 19(4): 609 - 622. [Abstract] [PDF]