Unpacking the Dynamics of Ecologies of Routines: Mediators and Their Generative Effects in Routine Interactions

Item Type Journal paper
Abstract Building on an in-depth ethnographic study at a renowned research laboratory, we show how the interactions of organizational routines can be more or less generative by tracing and analyzing how human and nonhuman actors (actants) connect routines. Adopting a performative perspective, we compare the connecting of such actants and study how they are engaged in routine performances. We relate observed differences in the generativity of routine interactions to whether actants become mediators or intermediaries. Whereas intermediaries merely maintain connections between routines, mediators can modify them when performing routine connections. We identify three generative effects mediators can lead to: (1) the creation of innovative outcomes, (2) the adaptation of existing routine performances, and/or (3) the emergence of new routine performances. Similar to the conception of organizational routines as dynamic and generative systems, we show that the way actants operate through their engagement renders routine interactions and thus ecologies of routines more or less generative.
Authors Sele, Kathrin & Grand, Simon
Journal or Publication Title Organization Science
Language English
Keywords ecologies of routines; routine interactions; generativity; actants; mediators and intermediaries; actor-network theory (ANT); translation
Subjects business studies
HSG Classification contribution to scientific community
Refereed Yes
Date 26 January 2016
Publisher INFORMS
Place of Publication Hanover, Md.
Volume 27
Number 3
Page Range 722-738
ISSN 1047-7039
ISSN-Digital 1526-5455
Publisher DOI https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2015.1031
Depositing User lic.sc.com Kathrin Sele
Date Deposited 01 Feb 2016 12:44
Last Modified 20 Jul 2022 17:26
URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/publications/247093

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Sele, Kathrin & Grand, Simon (2016) Unpacking the Dynamics of Ecologies of Routines: Mediators and Their Generative Effects in Routine Interactions. Organization Science, 27 (3). 722-738. ISSN 1047-7039

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https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/id/eprint/247093
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