IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jomega/v24y1996i2p121-139.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On the concept of flexibility: A dual control perspective

Author

Listed:
  • De Leeuw, A. C. J.
  • Volberda, H. W.

Abstract

Organizational flexibility has recently received much attention from researchers, management consultants and practitioners. In general, the term 'flexibility' has a positive connotation: flexible organizations are the better ones. However, the meaning of flexibility as well as its relation to the functioning of an organization is still ambiguous. This article develops a systematic and multidimensional picture of flexibility on the basis of views taken from the systems theory of control. The general idea is that flexibility can be analysed as a characteristic of some dual and relative control relation between the organization and its environment, which fosters organizational independence. It is argued that flexibility is a function of the control capability of the management as well as the controllability of the organization. Flexibility is thus concerned with the promotion of the management's control capability or competence. The management's ability to allocate and use this capacity with success, however, is dependent upon organizational conditions that determine the controllability. The organization design task, therefore, involves the creation of appropriate organizational conditions to foster flexibility. This article clarifies the paradoxical nature of flexibility and the existence of different types of flexibility.

Suggested Citation

  • De Leeuw, A. C. J. & Volberda, H. W., 1996. "On the concept of flexibility: A dual control perspective," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 121-139, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jomega:v:24:y:1996:i:2:p:121-139
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0305-0483(95)00054-2
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Briance Mascarenhas, 1982. "Coping With Uncertainty in International Business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 13(2), pages 87-98, June.
    2. Henry Mintzberg & James A. Waters, 1985. "Of strategies, deliberate and emergent," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 257-272, July.
    3. Colin Camerer & Ari Vepsalainen, 1988. "The economic efficiency of corporate culture," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(S1), pages 115-126, June.
    4. Yair Aharoni & Zvi Maimon & Eli Segev, 1978. "Performance and Autonomy in Organizations: Determining Dominant Environmental Components," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(9), pages 949-959, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bernard Fallery & Florence Rodhain, 2018. "ROBERT REIX, un fondateur de la discipline des systèmes d'information en France," Post-Print hal-03126081, HAL.
    2. Gong, Zhejun & Hu, Sun, 2008. "An economic evaluation model of product mix flexibility," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 852-864, October.
    3. Shinhye Kim & Melanie Bowen & Xiaohan (Hannah) Wen, 2019. "The ultimate co-creation: leveraging customer input in business model innovation," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 9(3), pages 339-356, December.
    4. Vos, Janita F.J., 2002. "Corporate social responsibility and the identification of stakeholders," Research Report 02G52, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    5. Zhang, Qingyu & Vonderembse, Mark A. & Cao, Mei, 2009. "Product concept and prototype flexibility in manufacturing: Implications for customer satisfaction," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 194(1), pages 143-154, April.
    6. Benjamin Bathfield & Pierre Gasselin & Rémy Vandame & Santiago López-Ridaura & Luís García Barrios, 2010. "Adaptation de la gestion technique des producteurs de café et de miel face aux variations de prix au Guatemala : concepts et méthodes," Post-Print hal-00783500, HAL.
    7. Sanjai Kumar Shukla & Sushil & Manoj Kumar Sharma, 2019. "Managerial Paradox Toward Flexibility: Emergent Views Using Thematic Analysis of Literature," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(4), pages 349-370, December.
    8. Krishnadas Nanath & R Radhakrishna Pillai, 2021. "Towards a framework for sustaining Green IT initiatives: an empirical investigation," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 193-206, September.
    9. Hagspiel, Verena & Huisman, Kuno J.M. & Kort, Peter M., 2016. "Volume flexibility and capacity investment under demand uncertainty," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 95-108.
    10. White, A. & Daniel, E.M. & Mohdzain, M., 2005. "The role of emergent information technologies and systems in enabling supply chain agility," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 396-410.
    11. W A Jackson, 2015. "Markets and the Meaning of Flexibility," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 20(2), pages 45-65, September.
    12. Janita F. J. Vos, 2003. "Corporate social responsibility and the identification of stakeholders," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(3), pages 141-152, September.
    13. Gebauer, Judith & Lee, Fei, 2007. "Enterprise System Flexibility and Implementation Strategies-Aligning Theory with Evidence from a Case Study," Working Papers 07-0113, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    14. Hugo Horta & Francisco M. Veloso & Rócio Grediaga, 2010. "Navel Gazing: Academic Inbreeding and Scientific Productivity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(3), pages 414-429, March.
    15. Frans A. J. Van den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda & Michiel de Boer, 1999. "Coevolution of Firm Absorptive Capacity and Knowledge Environment: Organizational Forms and Combinative Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(5), pages 551-568, October.
    16. Golden, William & Powell, Philip, 2000. "Towards a definition of flexibility: in search of the Holy Grail?," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 373-384, August.
    17. Aleksandra Sus & Katarzyna Puszko, 2020. "The Concept of Flexibility of Inter-Organizational Networks: Research Assumptions," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 3), pages 453-465.
    18. Moon, Karen Ka-Leung & Yi, Candace Ying & Ngai, E.W.T., 2012. "An instrument for measuring supply chain flexibility for the textile and clothing companies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 222(2), pages 191-203.
    19. Pires, Guilherme & Stanton, John, 2015. "Ethnic Marketing Sensitivity: Reconciling Rigorous Theory With Pragmatism," Newcastle Business School Discussion Paper Series: Research on the Frontiers of Knowledge 3, The University of Newcastle, Australia.
    20. repec:dgr:rugsom:02g52 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. M. Verbeek & H. Wind, 2001. "Improving Control In Water Management. Meeting conditions for control with the ISI-approach," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 15(6), pages 403-421, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Robert P. Garrett Jr. & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2015. "Internal Corporate Venture Operations Independence and Performance: A Knowledge–Based Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 763-790, July.
    2. Gebauer, Heiko & Worch, Hagen & Truffer, Bernhard, 2012. "Absorptive capacity, learning processes and combinative capabilities as determinants of strategic innovation," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 57-73.
    3. Young-Choon Kim & Taekjin Shin & Sangchan Park, 2021. "Enhancing firm performance through intra-group managerial experience: Evidence from group-affiliated firms in Korea," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 435-465, June.
    4. Iman Seoudi & Matthias Huehn & Bo Carlsson, 2008. "Penrose Revisited: A Re-Appraisal of the Resource Perspective," Working Papers 14, The German University in Cairo, Faculty of Management Technology.
    5. Yannick LUNG & Bernard JULLIEN & Christophe MIDLER, 2016. "From the Logan to the Kwid. \r\nAmbidexterity, reverse and fractal innovation, design-to-cost: recipes from Renault\'s Entry strategy," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2016-19, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    6. Nurmi, Raimo, 1998. "Knowledge-intensive firms," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 26-32.
    7. Scaringella, Laurent & Burtschell, François, 2017. "The challenges of radical innovation in Iran: Knowledge transfer and absorptive capacity highlights — Evidence from a joint venture in the construction sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 151-169.
    8. Barr, Jason & Saraceno, Francesco, 2009. "Organization, learning and cooperation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 70(1-2), pages 39-53, May.
    9. Innan Sasaki & Niina Nummela & Davide Ravasi, 2021. "Managing cultural specificity and cultural embeddedness when internationalizing: Cultural strategies of Japanese craft firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(2), pages 245-281, March.
    10. Theodosiou, Marios & Leonidou, Leonidas C., 2003. "Standardization versus adaptation of international marketing strategy: an integrative assessment of the empirical research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 141-171, April.
    11. Alexis Laszczuk & Lionel Garreau & Bernard de Montmorillon, 2017. "Understanding emergence in business model development: how companies interact with stakeholders to deal with environmental ambiguity," Post-Print hal-01787276, HAL.
    12. Daniel R Clark & Dan Li & Dean A Shepherd, 2018. "Country familiarity in the initial stage of foreign market selection," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(4), pages 442-472, May.
    13. Phillips, Paul & Moutinho, Luiz, 2014. "Critical review of strategic planning research in hospitality and tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 96-120.
    14. Srikant, Chethan D., 2019. "Impression management strategies to gain regulatory approval," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 136-153.
    15. OGREAN Claudia, 2015. "Business Models To Meet The Challenges Of The Global Economy. A Literature Review," Revista Economica, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 67(6), pages 127-146, December.
    16. Marco Te Brömmelstroet & Luca Bertolini, 2010. "Integrating land use and transport knowledge in strategy-making," Transportation, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 85-104, January.
    17. Bjorn Remneland Wikhamn & Alexander Styhre, 2019. "Open Innovation Groundwork," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(02), pages 1-29, January.
    18. Bryan T. Stinchfield & Reed E. Nelson & Matthew S. Wood, 2013. "Learning from Levi–Strauss’ Legacy: Art, Craft, Engineering, Bricolage, and Brokerage in Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(4), pages 889-921, July.
    19. Lant Pritchett & Salimah Samji & Jeffrey S. Hammer, 2012. "It's All about MeE: Using Structured Experiential Learning ('e') to Crawl the Design Space," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2012-104, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    20. Ford, David & Mouzas, Stefanos, 2008. "Is there any hope? The idea of strategy in business networks," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 64-78.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jomega:v:24:y:1996:i:2:p:121-139. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/375/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.