Group for Research in Organisational Evolution (GROE)

Overview

The Group for Research in Organisational Evolution (GROE) is an interdisciplinary research unit.

The unit builds on cutting-edge research in institutional economics, evolutionary economics, sociology, management, complexity studies, law, philosophy, psychology, evolutionary biology and other disciplines.

GROE’s core research is into the nature of business organisations, how they evolve, and how they depend on supporting institutions. 

GROE hosts the Journal of Institutional Economics, a journal listed on the Thomson-Reuters Social Science Citations Index and published by Cambridge University Press.

GROE replaced the Centre for Research in Institutional Economics (CRIE) in 2009. CRIE was formed in 1999.

Aims of the unit

The unit aims to:

• carry out academic and policy oriented research in the themes outlined below.
• use its members' expertise to inform the curriculum of the MSc Global Economy and Business Institutions offered by Hertfordshire Business School.
• organise international workshops.
• encourage applications from potential PhD students.

Research themes

GROE's research themes include:

• the evolution of capitalist institutions.
• the evolution of organisational complexity.
• the effects of different institutional environments and complementarities.
• the nature and boundaries of the firm.
• applied game theory and policy evaluation.

Our faculty members are working on a variety of more specific research questions.

GROE has currently four PhD students working on:

• the evolution of socio-economic systems.
• adaptability and survival in small firms.
• the institutional preconditions of economic modernisation.
• the creation of business niches.

Indicative publications

• Download a list of GROE's indicative publications.