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Applying organizational routines in analyzing the behavior of organizations

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  • Becker, Markus C.
  • Zirpoli, Francesco

Abstract

The concept of organizational routine can foster our understanding of the behavior of organizations and of organizational change [Nelson, R.R., Winter, S.G., 1982. An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change. Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, Cambridge; March, J.G., Simon, H.A., 1958. Organizations. Blackwell, Oxford (1993); Cyert, R.M., March, J.G., 1963. A Behavioral Theory of the Firm. Blackwell, Oxford (1992)], but since empirical studies employing organizational routines as analytical perspective are still relatively rare, how to conduct such an analysis and what are its benefits is not yet fully evident. We wish to shed light on how employing routines contributes to understanding the behavior of organizations and to demonstrate the potential of such analysis. The empirical analysis of the product development process at an engineering centre shows that using organizational routines presents advantages over alternative analytical approaches. The paper also contributes to shed light on how to fruitfully employ an organizational routines perspective in analyzing the behavior of organizations, providing the foundation for further empirical work.

Suggested Citation

  • Becker, Markus C. & Zirpoli, Francesco, 2008. "Applying organizational routines in analyzing the behavior of organizations," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 128-148, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:66:y:2008:i:1:p:128-148
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    3. Alberto Marzucchi & Chiara Franco & Sandro Montresor, 2011. "The potential face of absorptive capacity. An empirical investigation for an area of 3 European countries," Working Papers 2011R08, Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness.
    4. Mickaël David & Frantz Rowe, 2015. "Enterprise Systems Contribution to Organizational Routines Evolution Potential [Le rôle des systèmes d’information d’entreprise dans l’évolutivité des routines organisationnelles]," Post-Print hal-01559512, HAL.
    5. Schriber, Svante & Löwstedt, Jan, 2015. "Tangible resources and the development of organizational capabilities," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 54-68.
    6. Xi Zhao & Yuming Liu & Wenchao Jiang & Dongri Wei, 2023. "Study on the Factors Influencing and Mechanisms Shaping the Institutional Resilience of Mega Railway Construction Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-17, May.
    7. Paul Peigné, 2013. "Routines during an organizational change: a study on dynamics and its effects," Post-Print hal-00876163, HAL.
    8. Verena Wolf & Christian Bartelheimer & Daniel Beverungen, 2020. "Workarounds as Generative Mechanisms for Restructuring and Redesigning Organizations - Insights from a Multiple Case Study," Working Papers Dissertations 68, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.

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