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Cited by 246Management Theory and PracticeManagement and Organizational StudiesOrganizational Management and Innovation

A Chemistry of Organization: Combinatory Analysis and Design

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Grandori, Anna, Furnari, Santi·2008·Organization Studies
DOI 10.1177/0170840607088023
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Abstract

This paper is a response to the call for models of organization design as a science revealing the inner composition of organization and specifying the laws to be respected when crafting it. It maintains that the needed science is a chemistry of organization, addressing the combination of 'organizational elements' playing a role analogous to that of chemical elements in composing a variety of substances. Drawing both on classic organization design theory and on configurational and complementarity-based approaches, the paper specifies a set of basic organizational elements and a set of combinatory laws regulating their effective combinations. Testable propositions are derived on the necessary and sufficient conditions that the composition of organizations should have respect for achieving high levels of efficiency and innovation. These propositions are tested empirically on a sample of firms, using an innovative application of Boolean algebra.

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  • Grandori and Furnari (2008) drew on QCA's logic and methodological approach to revisit the classic link between organizational design and effectiveness prevalent in earlier configurational studies.

    “Grandori and Furnari (2008) drew on QCA's logic and methodological approach to revisit the classic link between organizational design and effectiveness prevalent in earlier configurational studies.”

    From Embracing Causal Complexity: The Emergence of a Neo-Configurational Perspective (2017) · cites this paper as Grandori & Furnari, 2008

  • Grandori and Furnari identified types of organizational elements that differ 'in kind' and showcased how 'combinatory laws' regulate the configurations among these elements and their associations with organizational efficiency and innovation.

    “They identified types of organizational elements that differ 'in kind' and showcased how 'combinatory laws' regulate the configurations among these elements and their associations with organizational efficiency and innovation.”

    From Embracing Causal Complexity: The Emergence of a Neo-Configurational Perspective (2017) · cites this paper as Grandori & Furnari, 2008

  • Studies have begun to develop and test configurational hypotheses.

    “studies have begun to develop and test configurational hypotheses (e.g., Bell, Filatotchev, & Aguilera, 2014; Fiss, 2011; Grandori & Furnari, 2008).”

    From Embracing Causal Complexity: The Emergence of a Neo-Configurational Perspective (2017) · cites this paper as Grandori & Furnari, 2008

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Research works printed but not linked: 33

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  32. ANNA GRANDORI is professor of Business Organization, and Director of the Research Center on Business Organization (CRORA) at Bocconi University, Milan. Her core research interest -building bridges between economic and social and behavioral sciences in the organizational field -is manifest in many of her publications both on economic and organizational journals (e.g. ASQ, JEBO, Organization Science, Organization Studies, Human Relations) on decision making, knowledge, networks, and governance; and in her books (e.g. the treatise 'Organization and economic behavior', Routledge, 2001; and 'Corporate Governance and Firm Organization' Oxford University Press 2004). She has been Co-editor of Organization Studies and Editor in chief of the Journal of Management and Governance.
  33. SANTI FURNARI is Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration and Management at Bocconi University, Milan and research fellow at CRORA. His core research interest is organizational innovation. His Ph.D. dissertation is an empirical investigation of the topic in a multi-year case study on an architecture, design and construction project. He cultivates distinctive methodological interests in connectionist, set-theoretic and network-analytic methods. He has published book chapters and papers with Italian publishers on topics such as configurational approaches, multidimensional fit, strategic alliances, IT-based organizational innovation, and knowledge sharing in project teams. He is currently an advanced research-abroad fellow of IRI Foundation at the University of Chicago.

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Authors
Grandori, A., & Furnari, S.
Affiliations
Bocconi University (IT)
Corresponding author
  • Grandori, Anna
  • Furnari, Santi
ORCID
Venue
Organization Studies
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2008-03
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
459-485
ISSN
  • 0170-8406 (ISSN-L)
  • 1741-3044
DOI
10.1177/0170840607088023
OpenAlex
W1987905054
Cited by
246
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 9
FWCI
14.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Organization Studies (publishedVersion)
  • City Research Online (City University London) (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Bocconi (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management Theory and Practice
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Management and Innovation
Keywords
organizational design, organizational components, configurational approach, complementarity, efficiency, innovation, Boolean algebra

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