Meta‐organization design: Rethinking design in interorganizational and community contexts

TLDR

The article establishes conceptual foundations for analyzing meta‑organizations, which are groups of legally autonomous entities. The study evaluates antecedents of meta‑organization emergence and the design choices involved, and introduces a taxonomy of collective action forms. The authors present a taxonomy that clarifies variations in collective action forms and the constraints required for success. Key parameters distinguishing meta‑organization designs are identified, and implications for future research are outlined. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract This article provides conceptual foundations for analyzing organizations comprising multiple legally autonomous entities, which we call meta‐organizations. We assess the antecedents of the emergence of such collectives and the design choices they entail. The article identifies key parameters on which such meta‐organizations' designs differ from each other. It also presents a taxonomy that elucidates how such forms of collective action vary and the constraints they must address to be successful. We conclude with implications for research on meta‐organizational design. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.