Governance, competence, and knowledge based perspectives on the firm: an introduction

The rapid development in information technologies and the emergence of what many commentators refer to as the new knowledge economy has produced, and is a product of, significant changes in the way business activities are organized. In particular, the boundaries of business firms have become much more fluid and subject to flux as firms seek to develop or acquire new competencies to survive and flourish. The very concept of the ‘organization’ has become contestable: many business units have close and intense relationships with other business units outside their ‘firm’ and key staff often identify with multiple
organizations, including personal and professional networks. In this more fluid landscape, there currently exist several parallel perspectives exploring the nature and scope of the firm. This special issue is concerned with reconciling what we believe to be complementary perspectives on the business firm: the Governance, Competence, and Knowledge based perspectives. It also explores the implications of these overlapping viewpoints for technology analysis and strategic management.