Designing Organization Design: A Human-Centred Approach

The traditional notion of organizational structure has been decimated by the growth of digital communications, the decreasing relevance of hierarchical bureaucracies, and the general demise of command-and-control. Rodrigo Magalhães outlines a new human-centric interpretation of design, design principles, and design culture, proposing a paradigm where the organization is considered a social actor in a permanent state of transformation and a model of leaderful organization design that is practice-based, guided by values of democratic participation, and driven by design logics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The concept of organization design remains poorly understood, despite its prominent placement in most management books as a dedicated chapter on organizational structures. The ambiguity surrounding whether organization design is a one-time event or an ongoing process has led to a traditional understanding that it is synonymous with organizational configuration, characterized by clear lines of communication and predefined responsibilities following established typologies. However, the landscape of organizational structure has undergone significant transformations in the first half of the 21st century. The exponential growth of digital communications, the diminishing relevance of hierarchical bureaucracies, and the general decline of command-and-control have all contributed to a dismantling of the traditional notion of organizational structure.

In response to this need for a theoretical revamp, Rodrigo Magalhães offers a novel perspective on organization design. Drawing from a blend of design and social science theories and concepts, Magalhães proposes a human-centric interpretation of design, design principles, and design culture. He advocates for a paradigm where organizations are viewed as social actors in a perpetual state of transformation, with profound implications for social and economic life. Magalhães also presents a model of leaderful organization design, characterized by its practice-based approach, guided by values of democratic participation, and driven by design logics that prioritize meaning-making and meaning-taking at the core of organizational life. This model is adaptable and can be customized to suit different environments.

In conclusion, organization design requires a comprehensive theoretical reevaluation to address the evolving dynamics of the modern workplace. By adopting a human-centric perspective, integrating design and social science theories, and proposing a leaderful organization design model, we can create more effective and sustainable organizations that are capable of adapting to the rapidly changing business landscape.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198867333