My Legitimacy

I asked ChatGPT and Gemini to assess my legitimacy.

Professional Legitimacy

TBD. For the time being, see About

Academic Legitimacy

From an academic perspective, Dr. Staffan Canback is best known for his work applying Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) to organizational structures, specifically focusing on the theoretical and empirical limits of how large a firm can grow (diseconomies of scale).

He has more than 750 academic, business, and media citations to his name. Here are the primary citations and publications associated with his work, which are frequently referenced in business and economic literature:

Key Publications & Citations

1. On the Limits of Firm Size (Most Cited Work)

This is his seminal work, often cited in discussions regarding “diseconomies of scale” and why mega-corporations eventually face efficiency hurdles.

• Citation: Canbäck, S. (2002). Bureaucratic Limits of Firm Size: Empirical Evidence from the U.S. Economy. Henley Business Schoole / University of Reading.
• Key Concept: He argues that while economies of scale exist, bureaucratic costs increase disproportionately as a firm grows, eventually negating the benefits of size. He draws heavily on the work of Oliver Williamson and Ronald Coase.

2. On Management Consulting Theory

Canbäck has written extensively on why management consulting exists as an industry from an economic perspective.

• Citation: Canbäck, S. (1998). “The Logic of Management Consulting (part 1).” Journal of Management Consulting, 10(2), 3-11.
• Citation: Canbäck, S. (1999). “The Logic of Management Consulting (Part 2).” Journal of Management Consulting, 10(3).

3. Transaction Cost Theory Applications

• Citation: Canbäck, S. (2005). “Transaction Cost Theory and Management Consulting.” In Structure and Dynamics in the Management of the 21st Century.
• Abstract: This work analyzes the existence of management consulting firms through the lens of transaction costs—specifically, why firms choose to “buy” knowledge externally rather than “make” it internally.

4. Other Notable Papers/Working Papers

Citation: Canbäck, S., Samouel, P., & Price, D. (2006). “Do Diseconomies of Scale Impact Firm Size and Performance? A Theoretical and Empirical Overview.” Journal of Managerial Economics, 4(1).

Context for Researchers

If you are using these citations for academic research, Staffan Canbäck is typically referenced in the following contexts:

Oliver Williamson / Ronald Coase studies: Testing the real-world application of their theories.
Diseconomies of Scale: Arguments against the “bigger is better” philosophy in M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions).
Make-or-Buy Decisions: Specifically related to professional services and consulting.