PhD Defence: Jacomijn Klitsie
In her dissertation ‘Strategic renewal in institutional contexts: The paradox of embedded agency’, Jacomijn Klitsie studies the drivers and performance effects of institutional entrepreneurship at micro- and macro-levels of analysis.
Jacomijn Klitsie defended her dissertation in the Senate Hall at Erasmus University Rotterdam on Friday, May 18 at 11:30. Her supervisor was Prof. Henk Volberda and her co-supervisor was Dr Shahzad Ansari. Other members of the Doctoral Committee are Prof. Lucas Meijs (RSM), Prof. Roy Suddaby (University of Victoria), Prof. Aard Groen (Universiteit Groningen), Prof. Frans Van Den Bosch (RSM), Dr Patrick Reinmoeller (RSM).
About Jacomijn Klitsie
Elizabeth Jacomijn Klitsie was born on January 7th, 1986 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. She holds a cum laude Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration achieved in 2008, as well as a cum laude Master’s
degree in Strategic Management achieved in 2011, both from the RSM Erasmus University Rotterdam.
After graduating she worked at the Amsterdam branch of strategy consulting firm Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. After a year of network building as well as learning the methods and techniques for systematic problem, she chose to shift to a more academic approach to the analysis of strategic puzzles by returning to the Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship department of the RSM Erasmus University to pursue a PhD.
Her main research interests include strategic renewal, the mechanisms behind institutional change and the place of communication and framing in these processes. Jacomijn was a visiting scholar at the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge in 2015. She has presented her work at several conferences. The paper presented at the 5th International Symposium on Cross Sector Social Interactions (2016), co-authored with Prof. dr. S. Ansari and Prof. dr. H. W. Volberda, was nominated for the Routledge Best Paper Award in Social Partnerships and will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Business Ethics.
Jacomijn is also a dedicated teacher. Next to teaching in several BSc and MSc courses, she now specializes in teaching consulting related courses. Jacomijn is an Assistant Professor in the Department Strategic Management and
Entrepreneurship at Rotterdam School of Management. She lives in Rotterdam with her partner John and two children, Floris (2016) and Annabel (2018).
Thesis Abstract
This dissertation uses mixed methods to increase academic and managerial understanding of the drivers and performance effects of institutional entrepreneurship at micro- and macro-levels of analysis.
Study 1 is a macro-level study containing a review and typology of different streams of institutional theory. Study 2 is a quantitative macro-level study, examining the conformity between Dutch firms’ internal and external regulatory environment (fit), and linking this to firm performance. The U-shaped relationship between regulatory mis-fit and substantive performance that is found, suggests that for firms that strive for success, deviation rather than conformation may be the key to success. Study 3 examines the framing mechanisms used to maintain a cross-sector partnership (XSP). We carry out a qualitative case study focusing on the use of different frames by diverse actors in an XSP. We find that collaboration in a partnership does not have to result in a unanimous agreement around a single or convergent frame. This implies that resources need not be focused on reaching unanimous agreement among all partners on a single mega frame, but rather be used to enkindle unity in diversity, where several frames are maintained simultaneously. Study 4 uses a macro-level quantitative approach to demonstrate that the existence of individual-level institutional entrepreneurship initiatives within firms is related to the type of exhibited firm-wide innovative behavior. In sum, this dissertation illustrates that the institutions that managers come across in their professional environments can be influenced by individual institutional work carried out to create, maintain, transform or disrupt these institutions
Photos: Chris Gorzeman / Capital Images
