Les jeunes entreprises pionnières face à l'incertitude : la construction sociale de l'échec

This article presents a sociological analysis of organizational failures by leading-edge start-up companies in emerging economic sectors. The five reviewed case studies reveal efforts to create or modify supportive social institutions. Failure may result from a project?s incompatibility with entrenched institutional orders, the absence of supportive institutional frameworks, or the dearth of social resources available to entrepreneurs attempting to gain a foothold in cutting edge business environments.