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Intraorganizational Power and Organizational Design: Reconciling Rational and Coalitional Models of Organization

Author

Listed:
  • W. Graham Astley

    (Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80204)

  • Edward J. Zajac

    (J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208)

Abstract

This paper contends that the analysis of organizational design and the analysis of intraorganizational power are inextricably intertwined for all major models of organization. While the coalitional model of organization is often viewed as the only model that explicitly links these topics, we argue that power does in fact play a central role in the traditional, rational model of organization, and that it is only the conception of intraorganizational power that differs between the two models. After contrasting the design prescriptions and power implications of the coalitional and rational models, the paper reconciles these two models by developing an “adaptively rational” model of organization that takes into account both the political dynamics and the task requirements of organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • W. Graham Astley & Edward J. Zajac, 1991. "Intraorganizational Power and Organizational Design: Reconciling Rational and Coalitional Models of Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(4), pages 399-411, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:2:y:1991:i:4:p:399-411
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2.4.399
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Andersson, Ulf & Pahlberg, Cecilia, 1997. "Subsidiary influence on strategic behaviour in MNCs: an empirical study," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 319-334, June.
    2. Florian Becker-Ritterspach & Christoph Dörrenbächer, 2011. "An Organizational Politics Perspective on Intra-firm Competition in Multinational Corporations," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 533-559, August.
    3. Enderwick, Peter & Buckley, Peter J., 2019. "Beyond supply and assembly relations: Collaborative innovation in global factory systems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 547-556.
    4. Krzysztof Klincewicz, 2012. "Political Perspective on Technology Alliances – the Case of Microsoft and Google," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 8(1), pages 5-34.
    5. Brettel, Malte & Mauer, René & Engelen, Andreas & Küpper, Daniel, 2012. "Corporate effectuation: Entrepreneurial action and its impact on R&D project performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 167-184.
    6. Rajneesh Narula & John Dunning, 2010. "Multinational Enterprises, Development and Globalization: Some Clarifications and a Research Agenda," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(3), pages 263-287.
    7. Boehe, Dirk Michael, 2007. "Product development in MNC subsidiaries: Local linkages and global interdependencies," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 488-512, December.
    8. Elaine Farndale & Veronica Hope-Hailey, 2009. "Personnel Departmental Power: Realities from the UK Higher Education Sector," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(4), pages 392-412.
    9. A. Willem & H. Scarbrough, 2005. "Social capital and political bias in knowledge sharing: An exploratory study," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 05/355, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    10. Abdelghani Es-Sajjade & Terry Wilkins, 2017. "Design, Perception and Behavior in the Innovation Era: Revisiting the Concept of Interdependence," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 6(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Mudambi, Ram & Pedersen, Torben & Andersson, Ulf, 2014. "How subsidiaries gain power in multinational corporations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 101-113.
    12. Gammelgaard, Jens & McDonald, Frank & Stephan, Andreas & Tüselmann, Heinz & Dörrenbächer, Christoph, 2012. "The impact of increases in subsidiary autonomy and network relationships on performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 1158-1172.
    13. Daniel Albert, 2018. "Organizational Module Design and Architectural Inertia: Evidence from Structural Recombination of Business Divisions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(5), pages 890-911, October.

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