Tilting at Windmills? The Environmental Movement and the Emergence of the U.S. Wind Energy Sector

Through a study of the emergent U.S. wind energy sector, 1978–1992, this paper examines how large-scale social movements external to an industry can influence the creation of new market opportunities and hence encourage entrepreneurship. We theorize that through the construction and propagation of c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Administrative science quarterly 2009-03, Vol.54 (1), p.123-155
Main Authors: Sine, Wesley D., Lee, Brandon H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrative science
Business studies
Economic resources
Electricity
Energy
Energy industry
Energy Policy
Energy resources
Energy technology
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship
Environmental groups
Environmental movements
Environmental Protection
Environmentalism
Human capital
Indirect effects
Industrial regulation
Institutions
Land
Membership
Natural resources
Renewable energy
Social activism
Social movement organizations
Social Movements
Social resources
Social structure
Theory
U.S.A
United States of America
Values
Ventures
Wind energy
Wind power
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Through a study of the emergent U.S. wind energy sector, 1978–1992, this paper examines how large-scale social movements external to an industry can influence the creation of new market opportunities and hence encourage entrepreneurship. We theorize that through the construction and propagation of cognitive frameworks, norms, values, and regulatory structures, and by offering a preexisting social structure, social movement organizations influence whether entrepreneurs attempt to start ventures in emerging sectors. We find that the direct and indirect effects of social resources (e.g., environmental groups) had a larger impact on entrepreneurial activity in this sector than the availability of natural resources such as land with high-quality wind. Greater numbers of environmental movement organization members increased nascent entrepreneurial activity, and this effect was mediated by favorable state regulatory policy. Greater membership numbers also enhanced the effects of important natural resources, market conditions, and skilled human capital on entrepreneurial activity. Taken together, these results have important implications for the study of social movements, entrepreneurship, and institutional theory.
ISSN:0001-8392
1930-3815
DOI:10.2189/asqu.2009.54.1.123