The Bias of Structures: How Multidivisional Organizations Work in the Public Sector

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• 作者：Marian Döhler
• 关键词：Organization theory ; Multidivisional organizations ; Public sector ; Policy output
• 刊名：Public Organization Review
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：March 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：17
• 期：1
• 页码：83-100
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
• 刊物主题：Political Science; Public Finance; Management; Economic Policy; Public Administration;
• 出版者：Springer US
• ISSN：1573-7098
• 卷排序：17

文摘

This paper discusses the unexploited possibilities that organization theory offers for explaining the policy output of public-sector organizations. Although political scientists frequently argue that organization matters, exactly how it matters remains unresolved. To investigate this issue, the concept of the multidivisional organization (M-form) is applied to the public sector. Three dimensions of the M-form are identified for closer inspection: 1) the structure-strategy relationship, 2) the managerial or leadership dimension, and 3) the external-relations dimension. Several empirical examples are used to demonstrate that the M-form exerts an independent impact on policy output. While the M-form allows a single organization to perform multiple functions, it also works against crosscutting policies and is inclined toward clientelism and capture. The use of the M-form concept is beneficial for political science analyses in that it requires paying greater attention to the “internal life” of governmental and public-sector organizations.