Finding the threshold: A configurational approach to optimal distinctiveness

Brent McKnight and Charlene Zietsma

Journal of Business Venturing, 2018, vol. 33, issue 4, 493-512

Abstract: How can new ventures successfully distinguish themselves from competitors and incumbents while also ensuring that the new venture is seen as legitimate and appropriate? This tension is challenging. If a new venture is not seen as legitimate, usually by conforming to typical models of firms in its category, it will struggle to access resources, attract customers, satisfy regulators and curry favor from other stakeholders. This makes commercialization challenging. At the same time, entrepreneurs must convince customers, investors, and suppliers that their nascent firm is offering something new and valuable. This is the challenge of optimal distinctiveness: how different can and should firms be?

Keywords: Optimal distinctiveness; Strategic balance; Clean technology; Qualitative comparative analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:33:y:2018:i:4:p:493-512

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.03.004

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