Joseph T. Mahoney

An enlightening examination of the economic fundamentals of efficient organizing, focusing on governance and avoiding organizational waste in all forms. If there are two alternative ways to perform a task, why not choose the one that generates less waste? In Efficient Organization, Mikko Ketokivi and Joseph T. Mahoney take a practical and decision-oriented approach to organization design and governance. They first examine contracting and relationships within and across organizations in addition to special topics such as non-profits, public organizations, and stakeholder analysis. They then identity and discuss the main organization design and governance decisions and challenges relevant at the founding of the organization, during its expansion, and at maturity. Ketokivi and Mahoney maintain that the focus of efficient governance is about establishing the credibility of the organization in the eyes of its most important stakeholders. Establishing and maintaining credibility sustain viability of the organization. Highlighting the importance of securing cooperation across individuals and organizations for mutual value creation, this book provides tools that decision-makers can use in their own organizations.

An enlightening examination of the economic fundamentals of efficient organizing, focusing on governance and avoiding organizational waste in all forms. If there are two alternative ways to perform a task, why not choose the one that generates less waste? In Efficient Organization, Mikko Ketokivi and Joseph T. Mahoney take a practical and decision-oriented approach to organization design and governance. They first examine contracting and relationships within and across organizations in addition to special topics such as non-profits, public organizations, and stakeholder analysis. They then identity and discuss the main organization design and governance decisions and challenges relevant at the founding of the organization, during its expansion, and at maturity. Ketokivi and Mahoney maintain that the focus of efficient governance is about establishing the credibility of the organization in the eyes of its most important stakeholders. Establishing and maintaining credibility sustain viability of the organization. Highlighting the importance of securing cooperation across individuals and organizations for mutual value creation, this book provides tools that decision-makers can use in their own organizations.

"Economic Foundations of Strategy uniquely contributes to the strategic management discipline by discussing and integrating the most important theoretical approaches in strategic management research. The book articulates the essence of these theories creatively and eloquently. Currently, our field lacks a scholarly book that brings together these theoretical building blocks of strategic management research. Mahoney's book is a superb guide for doctoral students and scholars who are entering the discipline of strategic management. I conjecture that this book will become a must-have guide for seasoned strategy researchers as well... scholars from related disciplines such as industrial organization economics, international business and organization would also want to have a copy of this phenomenal guide… It was a pleasure to read this book." -- Yasemin Y. Kor, University of Delaware Economic Foundations of Strategy provides not only the essential basic tenets of strategy, it also shows the inter-relationships of five major theories of the firm: the behavioral theory; transaction costs theory; property rights theory; agency theory; and dynamic resource-based theory. Even though technological, organizational and institutional change advances breathlessly, the theories of the firm provided in this research book are durable principles that have stood, and the author maintains will continue to stand, the test of time. Economic Foundations of Strategy emphasizes the complementarities among these five theories of organization, and the potential for integrating these theories in the evolving science of organization. Applications of these theories to business practice are emphasized throughout the book. Key Features: • Provides an integrative approach -Covers economics (e.g., transaction costs, property rights and agency theory); -Covers finance (e.g., real options theory) -Covers organization theory (e.g., the behavioral theory of the firm); and -Covers modern strategic management theory (e.g., dynamic resource-based theory). • Connects "Know-why" and "Know-how" -Covers the theoretical material deeply enough to be of use to advanced students -Connects this research to business applications to be of use to those interested in business practice

"Economic Foundations of Strategy uniquely contributes to the strategic management discipline by discussing and integrating the most important theoretical approaches in strategic management research. The book articulates the essence of these theories creatively and eloquently. Currently, our field lacks a scholarly book that brings together these theoretical building blocks of strategic management research. Mahoney's book is a superb guide for doctoral students and scholars who are entering the discipline of strategic management. I conjecture that this book will become a must-have guide for seasoned strategy researchers as well... scholars from related disciplines such as industrial organization economics, international business and organization would also want to have a copy of this phenomenal guide… It was a pleasure to read this book." -- Yasemin Y. Kor, University of Delaware Economic Foundations of Strategy provides not only the essential basic tenets of strategy, it also shows the inter-relationships of five major theories of the firm: the behavioral theory; transaction costs theory; property rights theory; agency theory; and dynamic resource-based theory. Even though technological, organizational and institutional change advances breathlessly, the theories of the firm provided in this research book are durable principles that have stood, and the author maintains will continue to stand, the test of time. Economic Foundations of Strategy emphasizes the complementarities among these five theories of organization, and the potential for integrating these theories in the evolving science of organization. Applications of these theories to business practice are emphasized throughout the book. Key Features: • Provides an integrative approach -Covers economics (e.g., transaction costs, property rights and agency theory); -Covers finance (e.g., real options theory) -Covers organization theory (e.g., the behavioral theory of the firm); and -Covers modern strategic management theory (e.g., dynamic resource-based theory). • Connects "Know-why" and "Know-how" -Covers the theoretical material deeply enough to be of use to advanced students -Connects this research to business applications to be of use to those interested in business practice