The imprinting effects of parent firms on the evolution of young spinoff alliance networks

We tested the drivers of spinoffs’ (that is, new firms started by ex-employees of incumbent firms) alliance network size through the lens of imprinting theory, using a large longitudinal sample of 145 newly founded spinoffs and 3,405 strategic alliances from 2001 to 2014 in the alliance-intensive mining industry. Our results revealed that whereas parent firms’ network positions in terms of size and centrality leave an influential early imprinting effect on spinoffs’ alliance network size, initial partners’ network position leaves an effect through path-dependent forces. Further, our analysis revealed that the parent’s network characteristics can influence the choice of initial partner. We discuss implications for alliance network emergence, spinoffs, and imprinting theory.