It is well recognized in the literature that practice variation is an integral part of diffusion processes. What remains less explored is the emergence of distinct forms of a novel practice and the interdependencies in their diffusion. In this study, we make a distinction between the pure version of a practice and ensuing hybrid variants and investigate how diffusion processes unfold for these alternative practice forms. Our empirical investigation in the Turkish higher education field demonstrates ...

The theory of strategic balance argues that organizations that are neither too similar to nor too distinct from their rivals will be best positioned to meet competing demands for legitimacy and competition. This is because a similar identity to other organizations signals conformity, thus generating legitimacy, while adopting a distinctive identity through differentiation provides competitive advantage. Recent studies have noted that various combinations of conformity and differentiation tactics ...