Which Performance Feedback Triggers Problemistic and Institutional Search in the Semiconductor Industry? Profit vs. Growth

Abstract

This paper investigates; first, the impact of profit and growth aspirations in triggering problemistic search; second, the existence of institutional or imitational search; and third, the influence of performance aspirations on institutional search in the global semiconductor industry. The empirical results show that the growth aspiration is a more significant performance measure affecting R&D intensity and the strong institutional search behavior is also evident in our research setting. The institutional search behavior is found to be strengthened by poor growth but weakened by low profit, suggesting a shift of attention between aspiration and survival when imitating others in R&D investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Seoul Journal of Business is the property of Seoul National University, College of Business Administration and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)