新零售情境下新创企业学习与合法性获取关系研究——以朴朴超市为例

Research on the Relationship between Startup Learning and Legitimacy Acquisition in the Context of New Retail—A Case Study of Pupumall

摘要: 在新零售快速变革的背景下，新创企业普遍面临“合法性门槛”的挑战。企业学习被视为克服新创劣势、适应市场变化的关键能力，但其与合法性获取之间的具体作用机制尚待深入探究。本文采用扎根理论方法，以生鲜电商“朴朴超市”为案例，通过三级编码过程，构建了新创企业学习与合法性获取的关系模型。研究发现：(1) 合法性缺失是刺激企业学习的初始动因；(2) 市场学习、模仿学习和探索学习三种类型，分别对应并支撑了顺从、选择和操控三种合法性获取战略；(3) 创始人的先前经验、关系网络和个人特质在此过程中发挥重要的调节作用。本研究在新零售情境下整合并验证了企业学习与合法性理论，揭示了数字化如何赋能企业学习以突破合法性门槛，为新创企业的生存与发展提供了理论与实践启示。

Abstract: In the context of rapid transformation in new retail, start-ups generally face the challenge of the “legitimacy threshold”. While organizational learning is regarded as a key capability for overcoming the liabilities of newness and adapting to market changes, the specific mechanisms through which it influences legitimacy acquisition remain underexplored. This study adopts a grounded theory approach and conducts a case study of the fresh food e-commerce platform “Pupumall”. Through a three-stage coding process (open coding, axial coding, and selective coding), a relationship model between startup learning and legitimacy acquisition is constructed. The findings reveal that: (1) Legitimacy deficiency serves as the initial stimulus for startup learning; (2) Three types of organizational learning—market learning, imitative learning, and exploratory learning, correspond to and underpin three legitimacy acquisition strategies—conformance, selection, and manipulation, respectively; (3) The founder’s prior experience, network ties, and personal traits play significant moderating roles in this process. This study integrates and validates the theories of organizational learning and legitimacy within the new retail context, revealing how digitalization enables startups to overcome the legitimacy threshold. The findings offer both theoretical and practical implications for the survival and development of start-ups.