Princeton University Library Catalog
- Author/Artist:
- Wheeler, Meghan [Browse]
- Format:
- Senior thesis
- Language:
- English
- Advisor(s):
- Vertesi, Janet A. [Browse]
- Department:
- Princeton University. Department of Sociology [Browse]
- Class year:
- 2016
- Description:
- 117 pages
- Summary note:
- Hyper-growth is a social and organizational phenomenon relating to rapid
company growth that has increasingly occurred in the start-up community. While
hyper-growth is a common and recognizable term used in the industry, it is not
clear why hyper-growth occurs in some companies rather than others and what
social forces develop with this phenomenon. Through an analysis of in-depth
interviews with hyper-growth tech companies and company growth data, I argue
that hyper-growth is defined by an internal state of mind rather than a
quantifiable metric of growth, caused by industry pressures and group
interpretations of growth and success. It is found that hyper-growth intensifies
the tension between organizational stability and operational growth, and many
tech companies address these conflicting forces by fostering a unique and
pervasive company culture. As they expand, hyper-growth companies attempt to
maintain their organizational culture by hiring candidates based on their
perceived cultural fit with the company. These findings have implications for the
long-term prospects of hyper-growth companies: the constant organizational
change and increased presence of homophily that can develop from hyper-growth
have consequences for an organization’s ability to manage risk and endure
external shocks within an industry.
