Organisational routines and their endogenous modification

Abstract

Organisational change is a complex matter and can be investigated from various perspectives. This study explores organisational change through the lens of organisational routines.

In order to do so, the study builds on the practice theory (e.g. Feldman & Pentland, 2003), which suggests that an organisational routine is a generative system. As such, the routine consists of an ostensive aspect, which provides stability, and a performative aspect, which provides potential for change. These two aspects interact and influence each other, potentially changing the routine over time within its organisational context. Hence, a routine conceptualised as a generative system is an endogenous source for both: organisational stability and change.

Founded on the above described generative system, the study delves into the routine, focussing on studying “a particular part of the routine” (Pentland & Feldman, 2005) within its organisational context: The process of endogenous routine modification. In other words, the study is aiming to develop a process theory of the routine modification, which is driven by the person enacting the routine, the employee.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach by combining organisational science and design thinking, the study further explores the potential enhancement of the process of endogenous routine modification through the usage of design methods.

Also the research process is shaped by an interdisciplinary mind-set. On the one hand, the modification process borrows from fundamental organisational process theories by Van de Ven and Poole (1995) creating an initial perspective on organisational change. On the other hand, the conducted case study is investigated by the generative design research methodology taking an employee’s perspective. In context to the study, the latter is a refreshing course of action. It contributes with novel methods and perspectives to organisational science, and opens up a new field of research for design research.

As a main result, the interdisciplinary research suggests a process theory of endogenous routine modification considering four different types of modification within its organisational context: silent, resource-based, interdivisional, and system-level modification. In addition, the study discusses the application of design methods to enhance the process theory in an applied manner on the performed routine level as well as its organisational context.