Tackling Design Anew : Getting Back to the Heart of Organizational Theory

Executive Overview We propose that the study of organization design has been unduly neglected in recent years despite its critical importance for organizational performance. We point to the daunting complexity of the subject matter as a pivotal reason why researchers have turned to other questions. In this paper, we argue that the complexity of design can be successfully approached through the conjoint application of theories from strategic management and organization theory to types of organizations. We elaborate on this approach using transnational professional service firms as an illustrative example.