Dancing around improvisation: Advisor network and improvisation migration in new firms

This dissertation explores how a new firm's social structure shapes its migration to (or away from) improvisation in response to surprise, an event that was recognized by the firm as unexpected. I draw on theories of organizational learning and social network to predict that a focal firm's pre-existing advisor network will influence its migration to or away from improvisation in response to surprises. Further, I predict that the two migration patterns will generate differential organizational outcomes. I use a sample of 153 surprise events derived from 1,725 page interview transcripts, over 1,000 page informant self-rating reports and rater assessments of these materials. My study develops a typology of advisor network. Results provide evidence on impacts of advisor network on organizational movements around improvisation upon surprise events. Specifically, I find that different dimensions of an advisor network---types of advisors, advisor network involvement and advisor network experience---all influence a focal firm's moving to or away from improvisation in the event of surprises. Results also show that moving away from improvisation leads to better organizational outcome of responding to a surprise event, compared to moving to improvisation. My study contributes to theories of improvisation, network learning, as well as entrepreneurship.