Keywords: micro-foundations, strategy process, strategic decision making, strategy implementation

The aim of the proposed topic is to further develop the understanding of the micro-foundations for strategy. These micro-foundations build on the analysis of behaviors and interactions of economic actors that underpin aggregate strategy phenomena, such as strategic problem formulation (Baer et al. 2013), and routines and capabilities (Felin et al. 2012). Whether these economic actors should always be considered as individuals is contested, but often taken for granted (Ployhart & Hale, 2014). The implication is that the discussion about the value that is added by micro-foundations has its proponents, its opponents and its share of skeptics (Winter, 2013).

Whether micro-foundations add value in understanding aggregate phenomena in strategy has extensively been discussed in strategic management (Felin & Foss, 2005; Molina-Azorin, 2014). The debate is not settled, but gradually the questions have been shifting to which aggregate phenomena are enriched in their understanding by using micro-foundations. The connection between individual actors and strategy phenomena is only understood to a limited extent, such as in strategic decision-making (Elbanna et al. 2013). Research shows that individual actors’ political interests affect politicking in strategic decision-making (Child et al. 2010), but contingent on how the context affects the individual actors it explains decision outcomes or not (Papadakis et al. 2010; Shepherd & Rudd, 2014).  By directing attention to the themes below (Foss, 2011), the micro-foundations for strategy can be developed more in detail. 

We encourage submissions that go beyond discussing the potential of micro-foundations for strategy research. The work preferably aims to go beyond the contention that individuals matter, putting the focus on how these individuals shape and affect aggregate strategy phenomena. The pivotal role attributed to individuals and their interaction is at the core of the micro-foundations argument. However, the specifics beyond the rational nature of economic actors and their interaction are only researched to a limited extent. Hence, research that identifies the salient properties for these individual actors (e.g. cognitive, personality, functional characteristics) combined with the (social) mechanisms (e.g. social networks, team dynamics) that constitute the emergent properties of the aggregate phenomenon is preferred. We welcome contributions which focus on: