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Delayering and Firm Performance: Evidence from Swiss firm-level Data

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  • Dieter Kuhn

    () (University of Basel)

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    Abstract

    The past decades witnessed a broad trend towards flatter organizations with less hierarchical layers. A reduction of the number of management levels in a corpora- tion can have both positive and negative effects on firm performance with the net effect being theoretically unclear ex ante. The present study uses a nationally representative� data� set� of firms� in Switzerland� and empirically� examines� the� di- rect performance effects of delayering. Applying ordinary least squares regressions and propensity� score� matching,� this� study� finds� that� delayering significantly� increases subsequent firm performance. It can be concluded that flatter hierarchical structures seem to enable firms to better realize their competitive advantage in today’s fast moving and knowledge-intensive market environment.

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    Bibliographic Info

    Paper provided by Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel in its series Working papers with number 2011/02.

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    Date of creation: 2011
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    Handle: RePEc:bsl:wpaper:2011/02

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    Postal: Peter-Merian-Weg 6, Postfach, CH-4002 Basel
    Web page: http://wwz.unibas.ch
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