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How firms (partially) organize their environment : Meta-organizations in the oil and gas industry

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  • Héloïse Berkowitz

    (CRG I3 - Centre de recherche en gestion i3 - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - Université Paris-Saclay - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Hervé Dumez

    (CRG I3 - Centre de recherche en gestion i3 - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - Université Paris-Saclay - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate how firms collectively organize their environment. Past literature mostly focused on networks and institutions and has overlooked the role of meta-organizations in this process. Based on the case study of the oil and gas industry, we develop an abductive grounded theory model of meta-organizations as collective partial organizations. Our study shows that firms – complete organizations – organize their environment through the setting up of many meta-organizations – partial and thin organizations, which leads to a growing organizational complexity. This complexity results from the organizational creativity of firms when they are confronted to three decision situations. Finally, we highlight the importance of membership in MOs, analyze the various implications of its completeness or incompleteness for legitimacy, and discuss the emergent concept of outreach strategies which we argue to be central for thin organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Héloïse Berkowitz & Hervé Dumez, 2015. "How firms (partially) organize their environment : Meta-organizations in the oil and gas industry," Working Papers hal-01483012, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01483012
    DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4159.1124
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-01483012v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Liisa Välikangas & Marijane Luistro-Jonsson & Sirkka L. Jarvenpaa, 2022. "Health crisis and the EU’s HERA: amplifying partial organizing with resourcing for stability, agility, and evolvability," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 11(4), pages 169-187, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Partial organization; meta-organization; collective strategy; oil and gas; abductive; outreach; Organisation partielle; méta-organisation; stratégie collective; industrie pétrolière;
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