How to integrate the specificities of some food departments into a retail store organization? : Lessons and limits of the Aokian theory of the firm

Purpose – To understand the impact of product specificity on organizational practices of retailers at the store level. Design/methodology/approach – An Aokian framework is used that enables one to discriminate between food products according to their informational properties, and to connect these properties with organizational choices of centralization/decentralization. Findings – Emphasizes the existing tension between the dominant “assimilation” organization pattern and the “encapsulation” pattern which fits better in with some specific product departments. Research limitations/implications – Proposals are confronted with empirical data coming from professional press and experts interviews. Further empirical research is needed to consolidate the findings. Practical implications – The paper points out the need to differentiate the management of departments according to their product specificity. Originality/value – The paper stresses the impact of product specificity on department organization. It can be useful for the design of organizational mechanisms: work organization, incentives and career paths.