Organizational Improvisation: A Consolidating Review and Framework

What is it about?

This paper presents existing contributions on organizational improvisation within a new consolidating framework combining degrees (minor, bounded and structural) and levels (individual, interpersonal and organizational) of improvisation. The proposed degree/level framework allows for a systematic review of the existing literature on organizational improvisation in the management disciplines of strategy, organizational behaviour, organizational theory, innovation and marketing. It also exposes potential areas for future research across management disciplines and industries, and beyond existing metaphors, most notably of jazz and improvisational theatre.

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Photo by Sam Browne on Unsplash

Photo by Sam Browne on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Organizational improvisation enables individuals, teams and organizations to nimbly and creatively navigate constantly evolving landscapes and situations. In the current dynamic and globalized environment, it has become a crucial skill. Our paper takes stock of existing research on organizational improvisation, and offers a novel framework to understand and implement it more effectively.