Organic structure and innovation in small work groups

Abstract

<p>This paper is concerned with innovative behaviour in organizations and the role of structural factors in its cultivation. Innovative task and organic structural variables were measured in a field study involving a unit of analysis not hitherto considered in this context: the small face-to-face work group. A structural construct ("organicity") emerged, which correlates strongly with innovativeness of task.</p> <p>Organicity emphasizes the sharing of roles, tasks and responsibilities, a democratic, team-oriented approach to the work at hand, and of all members to the decision making processes of the group. Innovativeness of task was measured in terms of group members' expectations. An attempt to include "performance" in testing the task-organization structure contingency model met with limited success.</p>