IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/rvmgts/v17y2023i5d10.1007_s11846-022-00540-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Saying yes to mess: disorganization as an antecedent to dynamic capabilities

Author

Listed:
  • Dinuka B. Herath

    (The University of Huddersfield)

  • Shelley Harrington

    (The University of Huddersfield)

Abstract

Modern businesses constantly operate in an environment filled with unpredictability. Such unpredictability and heightened dynamism require rapid responses, mainly prompted by the realization that such irregular phenomena cannot be dealt with using conventionally structured and organized approaches alone. In line with this ongoing conversation fuelled notably by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated digital acceleration, in this paper, we lay out the case for how “actively embracing disorganization” as a new work form can be a mechanism that facilitates the creation and enactment of important dynamic capabilities thus enhancing a firm’s ability to cope with unpredictable environments. In doing so, we attempt to make a novel contribution outlining the relationship between disorganization and dynamic capabilities through propositions and an accompanying conceptual framework. In this article, we position disorganization as a form of organizational design capable of enabling the link between dynamic capabilities and performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Dinuka B. Herath & Shelley Harrington, 2023. "Saying yes to mess: disorganization as an antecedent to dynamic capabilities," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1539-1558, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:17:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s11846-022-00540-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11846-022-00540-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11846-022-00540-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11846-022-00540-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    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. Hui Feng & Neil A. Morgan & Lopo L. Rego, 2017. "Firm capabilities and growth: the moderating role of market conditions," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 76-92, January.
    2. Li, Yan & Tan, Chuan-Hoo, 2013. "Matching business strategy and CIO characteristics: The impact on organizational performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 248-259.
    3. Teppo Felin & Nicolai J. Foss & Koen H. Heimeriks & Tammy L. Madsen, 2012. "Microfoundations of Routines and Capabilities: Individuals, Processes, and Structure," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(8), pages 1351-1374, December.
    4. Benn Lawson & Danny Samson, 2001. "Developing Innovation Capability In Organisations: A Dynamic Capabilities Approach," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(03), pages 377-400.
    5. Breznik, Lidija & Lahovnik, Matej, 2014. "Renewing the resource base in line with the dynamic capabilities view: a key to sustained competitive advantage in the IT industry," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(4), pages 453-485.
    6. Valery S. Katkalo & Christos N. Pitelis & David J. Teece, 2010. "Introduction: On the nature and scope of dynamic capabilities," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 19(4), pages 1175-1186, August.
    7. Guido Fioretti & Alessandro Lomi, 2010. "Passing the buck in the garbage can model of organizational choice," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 113-143, June.
    8. Markus C. Becker, 2004. "Organizational routines: a review of the literature," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 13(4), pages 643-678, August.
    9. Annick Castiaux, 2012. "Developing Dynamic Capabilities To Meet Sustainable Development Challenges," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(06), pages 1-16.
    10. Amy L. Pablo & Trish Reay & James R. Dewald & Ann L. Casebeer, 2007. "Identifying, Enabling and Managing Dynamic Capabilities in the Public Sector," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(5), pages 687-708, July.
    11. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Jeffrey A. Martin, 2000. "Dynamic capabilities: what are they?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 1105-1121, October.
    12. Karl E. Weick, 1998. "Introductory Essay—Improvisation as a Mindset for Organizational Analysis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(5), pages 543-555, October.
    13. Daniel A. Levinthal & Alessandro Marino, 2015. "Three Facets of Organizational Adaptation: Selection, Variety, and Plasticity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(3), pages 743-755, June.
    14. Markus C. Becker, 2004. "Organizational routines : a review of the literature," Post-Print hal-00279010, HAL.
    15. Pertusa-Ortega, Eva M. & Zaragoza-Sáez, Patrocinio & Claver-Cortés, Enrique, 2010. "Can formalization, complexity, and centralization influence knowledge performance?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 310-320, March.
    16. Breznik, Lidija & Lahovnik, Matej, 2014. "Renewing the resource base in line with the dynamic capabilities view: a key to sustained competitive advantage in the IT industry," Journal of East European Management Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 19(4), pages 453-485.
    17. Kindström, Daniel & Kowalkowski, Christian & Sandberg, Erik, 2013. "Enabling service innovation: A dynamic capabilities approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1063-1073.
    18. David J. Teece, 2012. "Dynamic Capabilities: Routines versus Entrepreneurial Action," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(8), pages 1395-1401, December.
    19. Nils Stieglitz & Thorbjørn Knudsen & Markus C. Becker, 2016. "Adaptation and inertia in dynamic environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(9), pages 1854-1864, September.
    20. Nicolai J. Foss, 2003. "Selective Intervention and Internal Hybrids: Interpreting and Learning from the Rise and Decline of the Oticon Spaghetti Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(3), pages 331-349, June.
    21. Sidney G. Winter, 2003. "Understanding dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 991-995, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Jutta Wollersheim & Koen H. Heimeriks, 2016. "Dynamic Capabilities and Their Characteristic Qualities: Insights from a Lab Experiment," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(2), pages 233-248, April.
    2. Neil M Kay, 2018. "We need to talk: opposing narratives and conflicting perspectives in the conversation on routines," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(6), pages 943-956.
    3. Davies, Andrew & Frederiksen, Lars & Cacciatori, Eugenia & Hartmann, Andreas, 2018. "The long and winding road: Routine creation and replication in multi-site organizations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1403-1417.
    4. Schriber, Svante & Löwstedt, Jan, 2018. "Managing asset orchestration: A processual approach to adapting to dynamic environments," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 307-317.
    5. Michailova, Snejina & Zhan, Wu, 2015. "Dynamic capabilities and innovation in MNC subsidiaries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 576-583.
    6. Lauri Haapanen & Pia Hurmelinna-Laukkanen & Jan Hermes, 2018. "FIRM FUNCTIONS AND THE NATURE OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN INTERNATIONALIZING SMEs," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(03), pages 1-30, April.
    7. Wu, Kuo-Jui & Liao, Ching-Jong & Chen, Chih-Cheng & Lin, Yuanhsu & Tsai, Chuck F.M., 2016. "Exploring eco-innovation in dynamic organizational capability under incomplete information in the Taiwanese lighting industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(PB), pages 419-440.
    8. Xinwei Ye & Lei Ma & Junwen Feng & Yang Cheng & Zheng Liu, 2018. "Impact of Technology Habitual Domain on Ambidextrous Innovation: Case Study of a Chinese High-Tech Enterprise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.
    9. Guerrero, Maribel & Heaton, Sohvi & Urbano, David, 2021. "Building universities’ intrapreneurial capabilities in the digital era: The role and impacts of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    10. Atzmon, Morane Batya & Vanderstraeten, Johanna & Albers, Sascha, 2022. "Small-firm growth-enabling capabilities: A framework for young technology-based firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    11. Hendrik Wilhelm & Indre Maurer & Mark Ebers, 2022. "(When) Are Dynamic Capabilities Routine? A Mixed‐Methods Configurational Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(6), pages 1531-1562, September.
    12. Bhatti, Waheed Akbar & Larimo, Jorma & Servais, Per, 2020. "Relationship learning: A conduit for internationalization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    13. Ugo Rizzo & Daniela Freddi & Laura Ramaciotti, 2015. "The Impact of New Scientific Knowledge on Firms’ Routines and Capabilities: The Case of Mechatronics," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(06), pages 1-20, December.
    14. Giada Baldessarelli & Nathalie Lazaric & Michele Pezzoni, 2022. "Organizational routines: Evolution in the research landscape of two core communities," Post-Print halshs-03718851, HAL.
    15. Quan Anh Nguyen & Gillian Sullivan Mort, 0. "Conceptualising organisational-level and microfoundational capabilities: an integrated view of born-globals’ internationalisation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    16. Nicholas Bloom & Christos Genakos & Raffaella Sadun & John Van Reenen, 2011. "Management Practices Across Firms and Countries," CEP Discussion Papers dp1109, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    17. Verreynne, Martie-Louise & Hine, Damian & Coote, Len & Parker, Rachel, 2016. "Building a scale for dynamic learning capabilities: The role of resources, learning, competitive intent and routine patterning," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 4287-4303.
    18. Schriber, Svante & Löwstedt, Jan, 2015. "Tangible resources and the development of organizational capabilities," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 54-68.
    19. Loock, Moritz & Hinnen, Gieri, 2015. "Heuristics in organizations: A review and a research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 2027-2036.
    20. Dehua Gao & Flaminio Squazzoni & Xiuquan Deng, 2018. "The role of cognitive artifacts in organizational routine dynamics: an agent-based model," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 473-499, December.

    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:spr:rvmgts:v:17:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s11846-022-00540-w. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.