The impact of emerging institutional norms on adoption timing decisions: evidence from C‐TPAT—A government antiterrorism initiative
基于制度理论，研究企业采纳反恐倡议C-TPAT的时机和投资水平对绩效的影响，发现制度环境强弱会改变高投资采纳的效果。
Abstract Drawing upon an institutional theoretic perspective, this study explores the performance outcomes associated with adoption timing and level of investment in a government antiterrorism initiative—the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C‐TPAT). Using a large‐scale sample of C‐TPAT certified importers, this study found that performance outcomes for high levels of investment in adoption processes differ depending upon the strength of institutional forces. Specifically, early adopters of C‐TPAT processes in a weak institutional context that reported high levels of investment performed no better than firms who invested nominally in the processes, while late adopters in a strong institutional context that reported high investment levels outperformed those that invested nominally. This finding can be explained by viewing C‐TPAT as an ‘emerging’ institution, where forces are coalescing. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.