| Reexamine Fit in Activity Systems: A Social Entrainment Perspective |
Received:October 16, 2017 Revised:October 16, 2017 |
Key Words: Entrainment; Strategic fit; Temporality; Performance |
| Author Name | Affiliation | | Fangmei Lu* | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China | | Runtian Jing | Shanghai Jiao Tong University |
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Abstract: |
| This article adopts the social entrainment perspective to examine the relationship between strategic fit and firm performance. According to the entrainment theory, synchronization of the tempo and/or phase of two or more activities within a system enhances organizational effectiveness. We specify our hypotheses on tempo and entrainment of interdependent activities in the context of Chinese real estate industry. The analysis of 57 firms supports our assertion that entrainment do have a positive and significant relationship with firms’ performance. Meanwhile, this relationship is moderated by firms’ geographic market niche expansion activities. Overall, the article extends prior research on fit theory by incorporating time in strategic activities, it also enriches the line of temporality research in organization literature. |
