subject: Organic or Mechanistic Structures in Emerging Markets? [print this page] By examining these questions, this study contributes to theory about organizational design and structure. The research demonstrates that Burns and Stalker's classic structural theory that new ventures have different structural requirements than mature organizations (Cameron & Quinn, 1983). Whereas past research on established firms in dynamic contexts indicated that organizations with more organic structures outperformed those with less organic structures, the research in this study suggests the opposite is true for new ventures. Weber's classic text on bureaucracy proclaimed that the bureaucratic organization, with its clear-cut division of activities, assignment of roles, and hierarchically arranged authority, is "technically superior to all other forms of organization" (1947: 196). This study appears to further support this theory for at least those markets that are characterized by instability.
Organic or Mechanistic Structures in Emerging Markets?
