Transitioning from a hierarchical product organization to an open platform organization : a Chinese case study

Jiao Luo, Andrew H. Van de Ven, Runtian Jing and Yuan Jiang

Organizations around the world are designing new forms of organizing in order to deal with the challenges of advances in information technology and digitization that promote increases in customization and innovation in the face of global competition. This paper presents a case study examining the challenges experienced by a large multinational firm as it transforms from a hierarchical product organization to an open platform network organization. We show that (a) role confusion, (b) control imbalance, and (c) staffing mismatches are key challenges associated with organizational redesign. The main lessons drawn from this case are discussed.

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Year of publication:	December 2018
Authors:	Luo, Jiao ; Van de Ven, Andrew H. ; Jing, Runtian ; Jiang, Yuan
Published in:	Journal of organization design : JOD. - [Cham] : Springer International Publishing, ISSN 2245-408X, ZDB-ID 2799265-2. - Vol. 7.2018, 1, p. 1-14
Subject:	Organization design \| Corporate venture \| Strategy and structure \| Micro-enterprise \| China \| Organisationsstruktur \| Organizational structure \| Unternehmensorganisation \| Business organization \| Organisatorischer Wandel \| Organizational change