THE COMMUNITY ECOLOGY OF LARGE CANADIAN COMPANIES, 1984-1991

This research investigates the performance of the 200 largest public C anadian companies between 1984 and 1991, using a community ecology app roach. We use a dynamic model of firm performance to estimate the comm unity structure of competitive and mutualistic interactions among firm s operating in five sectors of the Canadian economy. The results show how the performance of large firms operating in each economic sector i s enhanced or diminished by the performance of firms operating in othe r sectors through a complex systems of interdependencies. These relati onships bind the sectors of the Canadian economy into an integrated or ganizational community. Unfortunately, the community structure reveale d by the analysis has dysfunctional properties detrimental to the econ omy's effectiveness. The implications of the study for theory and publ ic policy are discussed.