Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Jean Gordon

Abstract

Approximately 84% of North American individual contributors work in organizations with functionally specialized structures where task uncertainty (TU) and task interdependence (TI) undermine cross-functional task execution. However, there is a lack of research into the TU and TI experiences of individual contributors under different organizational structures. It is important that senior leaders have this missing knowledge to inform structural decisions. The purpose of this generic qualitative, exploratory, snowball sampling study is to explore how individual contributors experience TU and TI following a reorganization from a functional to a horizontal organizational structure. In the current study, the research questions explored were individual contributor experiences of TU and TI before and after a reorganization, and how post reorganization TU and TI were perceived by individual contributors relative to their understandings of task execution. Inclusion criteria for 25 participants were reorganization experience, working on a core product or service under both structures, and maintaining a similar role. Data were collected using interviews and analyzed by isolating working conditions of TU before, TU after, TI before, TI after, and post reorganization perceptions of TU and TI. The key learnings were the realization of the need for a systems-thinking perspective to organizational design decisions and knowledge of how the new structure will impact individual contributors and their ability to execute tasks (i.e., TU and TI). Implications for positive social change include improving working conditions for individual contributors and reinforcing structural design decisions that support growth without TU and TI burdens.

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