Performing Organisational Theories: The rise and fall of Sun Microsystems

Event Date: 9 February 2016

Time: 2:00pm

Location: Meeting Room 8.01, William Duncan Wing, Strathclyde Business School.

Speaker: Dr Luciana D'Adderio, Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship

Abstract: I address the effect of organisational theories on the organisation by focusing on how modularity, a widespread and influential organisational theory, performs in a modular organisation. While scholars have offered opposing arguments for the influence of this theory—i.e. that it either succeeds or fails to “produce” modular organisations—I show just how and how far modularity is enacted and shapes the organisation, and how it may be shaped in turn.

Drawing on recent advances in performativity theory I thus contribute to modularity by showing how the modular organisation emerges over time as the outcome of performative struggles among competing and complementary theories and how these struggles contribute to modifying the theory and “designing” organisations. I also add to performativity by theorising the competition between multiple theories, the emergence of unexpected consequences or “errors”, and their implications for organisational practices and boundaries. Findings provide new explanations for the co-production of organisational theories/strategies and organisational practices/boundaries, as well as reframing the narrative surrounding the rise and fall of pioneering electronics giant Sun Microsystems.

Published: 26 January 2016