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Reducing Complexity by Creating Complexity: A Systems Theory Perspective on How Organizations Respond to Their Environments

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Organizations have to cope with the complexity of their environment in order to survive. A considerable body of research has shown that organizations may respond to environmental complexity by creating internal complexity – for example, by expanding internal structures and processes. However, researchers know less about how organizations create collaborative complexity collectively – for example, by establishing alliances or developing common standards. This paper uses social systems theory to explore how organizations collaborate in response to complexity and to analyse the conditions under which they create either internal or collaborative complexity (or both) to address environmental complexity. It also examines how these types of complexity feed back into environmental complexity. To illustrate our conceptual model, we use corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Source: Journal of Management Studies

DOI: 10.1111/joms.12206

Authors: Anselm Schneider, Christopher Wickert, Emilio Marti

Institutions: Stockholm University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, City, University of London

Language: English

Topic: Management and Organizational Studies

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,150

OpenAlex ID: W2395084284

FWCI: 31.16

Cites: 169

Cited by: 260

Related to: 9