Towards an ecology of inter-organizational routines: a conceptual framework for the analysis of net-enabled organizations

This paper argues that the adoption of ??net?? technology by ??net-enabled?? firms can be viewed as a population or network level phenomenon, rather than a firm level phenomenon. Using organizational ecology as a starting point, this paper outlines a framework for studying the ecology of interorganizational routines. The paper defines key concepts and outlines some possibilities for applying this framework in empirical research. The framework emphasizes the role of network structure, technological interdependencies, and institutional factors (e.g., legitimation) in the long-run dynamics of technological change.