Paper Number
1292
Paper Type
Completed
Description
Finding the ‘right’ balance between centralization and decentralization in organizational processes, governance, and IT can be difficult. To navigate this tension field, organizations need to find (de)centralization equilibria that are often dynamic and depend on organizational strategy and context. However, little is known about how organizations should respond once an old equilibrium is punctuated or breaks down. In this paper, we thus conduct an inductive multiple-case study to investigate how organizations sustain and transition between (de)centralization equilibria. We synthesize our insights into a process model that paints the transition as an iterative recalibration process subject to centralization and decentralization tensions. Often, this process will require local and temporary compromises. Our work contributes a much-needed process perspective to the IS literature on (de)centralization.
Recommended Citation
Hartwich, Eduard; Hoess, Alexandra; Rieger, Alexander; Roth, Tamara; Fridgen, Gilbert; and Young, Amber Grace, "How Organizations Sustain and Navigate Between (De)centralization Equilibria: A Process Model" (2023). ICIS 2023 Proceedings. 10.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2023/itadopt/itadopt/10
How Organizations Sustain and Navigate Between (De)centralization Equilibria: A Process Model
Finding the ‘right’ balance between centralization and decentralization in organizational processes, governance, and IT can be difficult. To navigate this tension field, organizations need to find (de)centralization equilibria that are often dynamic and depend on organizational strategy and context. However, little is known about how organizations should respond once an old equilibrium is punctuated or breaks down. In this paper, we thus conduct an inductive multiple-case study to investigate how organizations sustain and transition between (de)centralization equilibria. We synthesize our insights into a process model that paints the transition as an iterative recalibration process subject to centralization and decentralization tensions. Often, this process will require local and temporary compromises. Our work contributes a much-needed process perspective to the IS literature on (de)centralization.
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Comments
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