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Article
Publication date: 21 August 2020

Self-organisation, adaptability, organisational networks and inter-organisational coordination: empirical evidence from humanitarian organisations in Uganda

Henry Mutebi, Joseph Mpeera Ntayi, Moses Muhwezi and John C. Kigozi Munene

To coordinate humanitarian organisations with different mandates that flock the scenes of disasters to save lives and respond to varied needs arising from the increased…

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Abstract

Purpose

To coordinate humanitarian organisations with different mandates that flock the scenes of disasters to save lives and respond to varied needs arising from the increased number of victims is not easy. Therefore, the level at which organisations self-organise, network and adapt to the dynamic operational environment may be related to inter-organisational coordination. The authors studied self-organisation, organisational networks and adaptability as important and often overlooked organisational factors hypothesised to be related to inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study’s sample consisted of 101 humanitarian organisations with 315 respondents. To decrease the problem of common method variance, the authors split the samples within each humanitarian organisation into two subsamples: one subsample was used for the measurement of self-organisation, organisational network and adaptability, while the other was for the measurement of inter-organisational coordination.

Findings

The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis using SmartPLS 3.2.8 indicated that self-organisation is related to inter-organisational coordination. Organisational network and adaptability were found to be mediators for the relationship between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination and all combined accounted for 57.8% variance in inter-organisational coordination.

Research limitations/implications

The study was cross sectional, hence imposing a limitation on changes in perceptions over time. Perhaps, a longitudinal study in future is desirable. Data were collected only from humanitarian organisations that had delivered relief to refugees in the stated camps by 2018. Above all, this study considered self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks in the explanation of inter-organisational coordination, although there are other factors that could still be explored.

Practical implications

A potential implication is that humanitarian organisations which need to coordinate with others in emergency situations may need to examine their ability to self-organise, network and adapt.

Social implications

Social transformation is a function of active social entities that cannot work in isolation. Hence, for each to be able to make a contribution to meaningful social change, there is need to develop organisational networks with sister organisations so as to secure rare resources that facilitate change efforts coupled with the ability to reorganise themselves and adapt to changing environmental circumstances.

Originality/value

The paper examines (1) the extent to which self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks influence inter-organisational coordination; (2) the mediating role of both adaptability and organisational networks between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations against the backdrop of complex adaptive system (CAS) theory.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JHLSCM-10-2019-0074
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

  • Self-organisation
  • Adaptability
  • Organisational networks
  • Inter-organisational coordination
  • Humanitarian organisations

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Article
Publication date: 5 August 2020

Organisation size, innovativeness, self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination

Henry Mutebi, Moses Muhwezi, Joseph Mpeera Ntayi and John C. Kigozi Munene

The purpose of this study is to examine how humanitarian organisation size affects inter-organisational coordination and further tested the mediating role of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how humanitarian organisation size affects inter-organisational coordination and further tested the mediating role of organisational innovativeness, self-organisation in the relationship between humanitarian organisation size and inter-organisational coordination among humanitarian organisations in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on cross-sectional survey; data was collected from 101 humanitarian organisations. The analysis of the proposed hypotheses was done with the help of PLS-SEM using SmartPLS version 3.3.0 for professionals.

Findings

The results show that humanitarian organisation size significantly relates with inter-organisational coordination. In addition, self-organisation and organisational innovativeness play a complementary role between humanitarian organisation size and inter-organisational coordination.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this research provide useful insights into the role of humanitarian organisation size in boosting inter-organisational coordination in humanitarian relief delivery. High levels of self-organisation and organisational innovativeness not only improve inter-organisational coordination in humanitarian relief delivery but also enhance the transformation of humanitarian organisation size benefits into inter-organisational coordination.

Originality/value

This research is one of the few studies that investigated the effect of humanitarian organisation size and inter-organisational coordination. It also brings into the limelight the mediating role of self-organisation and organisational innovativeness between humanitarian organisation size and inter-organisational ordination in humanitarian relief delivery.

Details

International Journal of Emergency Services, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJES-05-2020-0024
ISSN: 2047-0894

Keywords

  • Humanitarian organisation
  • Humanitarian organisation size
  • Self-organisation
  • Humanitarian relief delivery
  • Organisational innovativeness
  • Inter-organisational coordination

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1998

VARIETY AND THE REQUISITE OF SELF‐ORGANIZATION

Eric Molleman

From a contingency perspective and by using the principles of self‐organization described by Morgan (1986), this essay relates the amount of variety in transactions and…

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Abstract

From a contingency perspective and by using the principles of self‐organization described by Morgan (1986), this essay relates the amount of variety in transactions and transformations to the requisite of self‐organization. Self‐organization is defined in terms of the local autonomy to make decisions on both the transactions to be realized and the way transformation processes are organized to achieve these transactions. Appropriate Human resource management (HRM) systems and policies can help to achieve the level of self‐organization aimed at. When the amount of variety in transactions is relatively low, an organization can easily standardize and control work processes. In this case, there is no need to develop self‐organization. The focus of HRM will be on standardization, behavioral control systems and the social needs of workers. In the case of a moderate level of variety in transactions, management may obtain responsiveness by creating self‐organizing teams which have the local autonomy to deal with variety in customer demand. HRM instruments can help these teams by supporting integrated management, the multifunctionality of workers, team development, and the introduction of a skill‐based assessment and reward system. When the amount of variety becomes high, it is more effective to assign responsibilities to individuals and to apply HRM practices aimed at the problemsolving capacity of workers and the commitment of workers to the organization.

Details

The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028880
ISSN: 1055-3185

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Book part
Publication date: 21 May 2010

Self-organization of competency development and the role of managers

Martin Kröll

The understanding of competency development has changed to learning toward a higher degree of self-organization of the learning process. This shift leads to increased…

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Abstract

The understanding of competency development has changed to learning toward a higher degree of self-organization of the learning process. This shift leads to increased requirements on the communication processes of employees and superiors. It is postulated that the coordination between self-organization and external organization is deficient, so competency development activities often do not lead to the desired outcomes. An empirical study was undertaken in which a total of 106 companies were involved. The study investigated various expectations surrounding self-organization and external organization in large companies as opposed to SME, together with the conditions under which self-organization and external organization occur in these companies. The empirical study comes to the conclusion that large enterprises emphasize the central role of HR development for the innovation capacity of an organization more than SME. There are also different ways of combination of self- and external organization of competency development depending on the enterprise size. In contrast to the given assumption, it could not be identified that managers as HR developers can improve the success of competency development.

Details

Enhancing Competences for Competitive Advantage
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S0749-6826(2010)0000012012
ISBN: 978-1-84855-877-9

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Article
Publication date: 13 August 2018

Self-organized innovation networks from the perspective of complex systems: A comprehensive conceptual review

Adauto Lucas Silva and Fabio Müller Guerrini

In order to deepen the understanding of self-organization, the purpose of the paper is to raise and analyze the state of the art in the area of innovation networks…

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Abstract

Purpose

In order to deepen the understanding of self-organization, the purpose of the paper is to raise and analyze the state of the art in the area of innovation networks, particularly the characteristics of self-organizing, relying on the theory of complex systems to overcome any shortcomings.

Design/methodology/approach

The databases selected for the search were Web of Science and Scopus; the keywords searched in the titles of articles were innovation networks, complex systems, self-organization and self-organizing; the timeline of the search covers the period between 2000 and 2014 due to the presence of important studies in the field of networks starting in the early 2000s; only studies published in English were used; the articles selected were examined by first reading the titles, then the abstracts, and finally the texts in full.

Findings

The way the main constructs from the analytical perspective of innovation networks intersect with complex systems explains how self-organization is presented and how it can be allowed to occur within a view of expected benefits for the purposes of these networks.

Originality/value

The originality of the research lies in the questioning of the classical form of organizational management in innovation networks, essentially based on the concentration of hierarchical power.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 31 no. 5
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-10-2016-0210
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

  • Complex systems
  • Self-organization
  • Innovation networks
  • Self-organizing

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Article
Publication date: 1 January 2005

Self‐organization, knowledge and responsibility

Christian Fuchs and Wolfgang Hofkirchner

The main purpose of this paper is to consider knowledge production as a social self‐organization process, to clarify ethical implications of such an approach, and to…

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Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to consider knowledge production as a social self‐organization process, to clarify ethical implications of such an approach, and to relate it to the thinking of Heinz von Foerster.

Design/methodology/approach

The method employed is the one of dialectical constructions, i.e. existing contradicting approaches on knowledge research are identified and classified and a constructive synthesis of these approaches is made.

Findings

Since Heinz von Foerster's pioneering work, information‐generating systems are considered to be self‐organizing systems. We see knowledge as only a particular kind of information: it is the manifestation of information in the social realm. Thus, the creation of social information is due to the self‐organization of social systems. Heinz von Foerster has given us some indications of how knowledge and self‐organization could be applied to society. In this paper, we try to sketch a position of our own while taking into consideration Heinz von Foerster's relevant ideas.

Practical implications

The research results in this paper imply that a knowledge‐based society can only survive if it is designed in a participatory and socially and ecologically sustainable way. Hence a practical implication is that participation and co‐operation need to be advanced in order to guarantee human development.

Originality/value

The innovative aspect of the paper is that it suggests that all social self‐organizing systems are knowledge‐producing systems and that considering knowledge as a co‐operative process implies responsibility for solving the global social problems. It combines knowledge research and systems thinking based on ideas on self‐organization by Heinz von Foerster in order to describe social systems.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 34 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920510575825
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

  • Knowledge management
  • Information
  • Social systems

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Article
Publication date: 4 June 2018

Explaining the emergence of team agility: a complex adaptive systems perspective

Karl Werder and Alexander Maedche

Agile software development helps software producing organizations to respond to manifold challenges. While prior research focused on agility as a project or process…

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Abstract

Purpose

Agile software development helps software producing organizations to respond to manifold challenges. While prior research focused on agility as a project or process phenomenon, the authors suggest that agility is an emergent phenomenon on the team level. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the theory of complex adaptive systems (CASs), the study captures the multiple influencing levels of software development teams (SDTs) and their interplay with self-organization and emergence. The authors investigate three agile SDTs in different contextual environments that participate with four or more different roles each.

Findings

The results suggest self-organization as a central process when understanding team agility. While contextual factors often provide restriction on self-organization, they can help the team to enhance its autonomy.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical contributions result from the development and test of theory grounded propositions and the investigation of mature agile development teams.

Practical implications

The findings help practitioners to improve the cost-effectiveness ratio of their team’s operations.

Originality/value

The study provides empirical evidence for the emergence of team agility in agile SDTs. Using the lens of CAS, the study suggests the importance of the team’s autonomy.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-04-2017-0125
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

  • Software development
  • Complex adaptive systems
  • Agile methods
  • Emergence
  • Team agility

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2015

Good social cybernetics is a must in policy processes

Raul Espejo

Illustrate supported by Beer’s Viable System Model and four vignettes the relevance of self-organisation, recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity in policy…

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Abstract

Purpose

Illustrate supported by Beer’s Viable System Model and four vignettes the relevance of self-organisation, recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity in policy processes. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the concepts of self-organisation, recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity are briefly discussed to ground policy processes in good cybernetics. Then, with the support of four vignettes, the idea of good cybernetics in policy processes is illustrated.

Findings

The cybernetics of policy processes is often ignored.

Research limitations/implications

If the purpose of this paper were to influence policy makers it would be necessary to further the empirical base of the four vignettes and clarify desirable forums to ground the relevance of self-organisation, recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity in policy processes.

Practical implications

Beer’s recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity have much to contribute to the betterment of policy processes and the amelioration of the unbearable social and organisational costs of many current policies.

Originality/value

The application of concepts such as self-organisation, recursive structures, self-reference and reflexivity adds to the understanding of policy processes.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 44 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/K-02-2015-0050
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

  • Reflexivity
  • Viable System Model
  • Self-organization
  • Policy processes
  • Self-reference
  • Structural recursion

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Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Knowledge flows in self‐organizing processes

Harri Laihonen

This article aims to point out the essential role of knowledge flows when studying new ways of organizing in a knowledge‐intensive service sector where organizations…

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Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to point out the essential role of knowledge flows when studying new ways of organizing in a knowledge‐intensive service sector where organizations operate in rapidly changing markets. The purpose of this article is to analyze the concept of self‐organization and its basic characteristics from a knowledge flow point‐of‐view.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual analysis and literature review are provided.

Findings

The article offers a way to understand how self‐organization emerges from lower‐level or local interaction, i.e. knowledge flows. The results of earlier studies indicate that if experts working in customer interface are empowered to make independent decisions and to adjust their working according to the ongoing situation, i.e. to self‐organize, co‐operation with customers becomes more active.

Originality/value

The article presents a new way of looking at self‐organization and its basic characteristics as managerial tools in knowledge‐intensive organizations. The article brings up the fundamental role of knowledge flows in a self‐organization process.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270610679417
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

  • Knowledge management
  • Complexity theory
  • Information transfer
  • Knowledge organizations

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Book part
Publication date: 1 January 2008

The role of flexibility in strategic competence-management – contributions of the concept of self-organization

Michael Hülsmann and Christine Wycisk

Flexibility is a basic requirement to cope with complexity and dynamics. The aim of this chapter is to analyze to which extent self-organization can support integrating…

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Abstract

Flexibility is a basic requirement to cope with complexity and dynamics. The aim of this chapter is to analyze to which extent self-organization can support integrating flexibility in the processes of competence-building and competence-leveraging. The objective of this discussion is therefore to deduce possible contributions of the concept of self-organization to a strategic competence-based management in regard to effects of flexibilization.

Details

A Focused Issue on Fundamental Issues in Competence Theory Development
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1744-2117(08)04007-3
ISBN: 978-1-84855-210-4

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