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2020 | Book

Limits and Opportunities of a Matrix Organization

A Study of Coordination Mechanisms within a Multiple Brand Organization

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About this book

This book investigates the functioning of contemporary matrix organizations based on a case study of a German leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. It creates a framework for research of matrix organizations and demonstrates empirically how a contemporary MNC can promote lateral coordination through the use of a matrix organization. The significant issues of decision-making and conflict in matrix structures, as well as the role of organizational cultures is analysed. The importance of boundary spanning as well as the boundary spanning skills needed and developed by a matrix organization have been identified. This work brings significant empirical understanding of matrix organizations thanks to a rich research field combined with a novel framework for analysis of matrix organizations.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
This introduction will start by explaining the research framework which was created in order to understand this case, before going over the research questions identified as pertinent based on previous academic work. Then it will give an overview of the research field and the methods used to gather data and analyze it, before finally explaining the contributions and giving a brief outline of the thesis.
Jasmine Shahani
Chapter 2. The Contemporary Matrix Organization & Concepts
Abstract
Matrix organizations have been implemented and studied within large organizations, MNCs, who play an essential role in the global economy, because of their economic power. Indeed, looking into the available figures on MNCs, in 2009 there were 82,000 TNCs worldwide, with 810,000 foreign affiliates (UNCTAD, 2009). As globalization has increased, multinationals have become more and more important, and they in fact play a significant role in international economic coordination (Whitley, 2001).
Jasmine Shahani
Chapter 3. Research Design
Abstract
In the following chapter, we will provide a description of the research paradigm behind this research, as well as explaining the methodological choices made to conduct this study. Furthermore, we will also provide a description of the case study and give a review on the national contexts the company evolves in, as well as defining the holding matrix organization and the cross-brand project. Through this we will develop an analysis grid for our empirical research.
Jasmine Shahani
Chapter 4. Empirical Findings
Abstract
This chapter will analyze the empirical results of this research. This will be the base for the findings and potential theoretical contributions which will then be presented in the subsequent section. Overall, the next section will present the results from over 40 interviews, within three brands and the holding, looking into two departments and with a detailed look upon nine cross-brand projects. It is the heart of the research and also its strength, as the access offered, thanks to the embedded researched is extensive.
Jasmine Shahani
Chapter 5. Contributions and Conclusions
Abstract
Now that the findings of the empirical analysis have been summarized, these results will be analyzed through a more theoretical lens, in order to contribute to the literature on matrix organizations, including the mechanisms of control and coordination, decision making, ambidexterity, conflict, the role of culture and identities and finally the question of boundary spanning. We will start each section by a reminder of the literature gaps that we wished to investigate, before elaborating on the contributions of this research. We will use our conclusions from the empirical findings and based on this, we will show how our research contributes to the existing knowledge on the topic.
Jasmine Shahani
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Limits and Opportunities of a Matrix Organization
Author
Jasmine Shahani
Copyright Year
2020
Electronic ISBN
978-3-658-32261-8
Print ISBN
978-3-658-32260-1
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-32261-8