Seriously, I think what Lynch is doing here is a little different from the studies you mention. Generally speaking, economists view diffusion studies by sociologists as too atheoretical (e.g., population ecology models). There has to be some kind of underlying rational-choice framework. That having been said, there are lots of good studies of the diffusion of technological innovation (Steve Klepper’s stuff, for instance), but relatively little on the diffusion of organizational practices.

Actually, there was a breakout session at the Sundance conference co-organized by you, Brayden, in which Howard Aldrich, Art Stinchcombe, and I had exactly this same argument about “life-stages” models of the firm. Teppo tried to play referee. I thought I won, but probably no one else thought so. :-)