The dynamics of path dependence on the individual, organizational and the field levels: MoDo, the Kempe family and the Swedish pulp and paper industry 1873-1990

摘要

Path dependence is a promising and increasingly popular perspective for analysing long-term historical developments in firms, industries or referring to other units of analysis. A central assumption is that paths can narrow down as a result of self-reinforcing processes that eventually result in a lock-in that is difficult, if at all possible, to reverse. Typically, path dependence is investigated relating to one path on a specific unit of analysis, e.g. an organization. The present article explores how different paths on different levels of analysis can influence each other. Empirically, we use the long-term development of the Swedish pulp and paper company MoDo as the focal level of analysis. The organizational level paths are then related to paths on the field level of the Swedish pulp and paper industry and to paths represented by individual owner-managers' ways of thinking. We conceptualize the dynamic interplay between paths by elaborating on processes of path-spreading, path-breaking, path-convergence and path-divergence.