| Abstract : | Coalitions are informal groups that are formed and operating within the boundaries of organizations. Organizational scholarship has extensively documented and discussed the presence of coalitions in organizations.However, our understanding of their role and effects on intra-organizational affairs and organizational outcomes remains incomplete. To address these shortcomings, in this paper we develop a theoretical framework for better understanding the role of coalitions and the dynamics unfolding between and within them. In particular, we develop theory and propositions regarding the formation, actions and interactions of coalitions, as well as their impact on key organizational processes. Building on the conception of organizations as encompassing political coalitions, we argue that internal coalitions with distinct (and occasionally competing) interests and preferences are reaching compromises around goals, strategies and practices in order for the focal organization to operate and compete smoothly. We illustrate how discrepancies among the realized performance of the organization and aspiration levels trigger various dynamics between and within coalitions, which in turn impact the responses to these discrepancies. Our paper provides a more nuanced understanding of internal coalitions, as well as salient insights into their role and implications for organizational decision-making processes and outcomes. In that way, the paper extends the existing knowledge, and highlights paths for future research.
|
|---|
Copyright © 2013 Library AUEB. All rights reserved.