Organizing Flexibility: The Flexible Firm in a New Century

TLDR

Research on organizational flexibility must link numerical and functional flexibility, yet studies often ignore one dimension and the core–periphery model is incomplete. The paper examines the core–periphery model’s evidence and limitations and proposes ways to integrate functional and numerical flexibility. The analysis focuses on the USA and UK, reviewing cross‑national differences in organizational flexibility.

Abstract

Research on organizational flexibility should examine the linkages between numerical and functional flexibility. Unfortunately, studies of each type of flexibility generally neglect the other. Moreover, the most popular conception of the interplay between these two forms of flexibility — the core–periphery model — is incomplete in important ways. I discuss evidence and limitations of the core–periphery model of the flexible firm, and outline some promising attempts to conceptualize how organizations may combine functional and numerical flexibility. I focus mainly on the USA and the UK, though I also review evidence and issues involved in cross‐national differences in organizational flexibility.