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Why are organizational routines seen as the double-edged sword of stability and change?
In organizational theory, organizational routines are defined as repeatable and identifiable patterns of interdependent actions performed by multiple actors. These routines are not just steps in daily operations, they are core elements in understanding how organizations operate, adapt and change. Traditionally, scholars have viewed organizational routines in a variety of ways, with some seeing them as stabilizing factors while others seeing them as drivers of organizational change. This duality makes organizational routines a hot topic that continues to be studied in management.
Organizational routines, like biological genes, are heritable and subject to environmental selection.
Basics of organizational routines
As early as the beginning of the 20th century, the Carnegie School began to delve into the concept of habits in organizational behavior. According to this school of thought, individual behavior is rationally bounded, and organizations therefore develop routines that make the decision-making process more efficient. These routines coordinate and control the activities within the organization, allowing the organization to respond quickly to changes in the external environment.
Routines are actually organizational memories, especially tacit knowledge that is not explicitly encoded.
Sources of stability and change
Essentially, organizational routines provide a stable operating model through which members of the organization can rely on certain behavioral norms to carry out their daily work. However, this also makes organizations likely to be resistant to change. Organizational routines are like a double-edged sword. When they fail to drive innovation and change, they become a solid obstacle.
Being accustomed to routine performance may prevent an individual from detecting changes in the surrounding environment.
Organizational routine behavior patterns
Study of organizational routines shows that they are not just simple operating procedures, they also contain complex patterns of social interactions and behaviors. These patterns are to some extent the product of collective behavior rather than just individual habits. For this reason, the persistence and transformation of routines in organizations is a subject of ongoing discussion.
The role of individual behavior
In organizations, actual routine behavior may vary from person to person because of individual roles and responsibilities. This also explains why, in some cases, employees break away from routines and look for more efficient ways of working. This behavior can be seen not only as a change in routine but also as a challenge to the status quo.
Agent of change
From our observations, we can find that whether it is internal management changes or external environmental challenges, organizational routines cannot maintain a static state over time. The evolution of routines is often accompanied by organizational learning, which is not only a review of past experience but also a necessary process to adapt to future uncertainties.
Routines can be thought of as a grammar of action, and choosing and executing a routine is a laborious achievement.
Thinking about the future
In the face of an ever-changing business environment, it is particularly important to understand the dual nature of organizational routines. This not only helps companies assess whether their internal processes are too rigid, but also boosts their ability to innovate. As we think about the future of our organizations, should we re-evaluate these seemingly stable routines and consider how to promote change while maintaining stability?
