We are thrilled to announce that a paper co-authored by Brian T. Pentland (Michigan State University), our own Waldemar Kremser, and Kenneth T. Goh (Singapure Management University), has been published in the prestigious Academy of Management Review. Titled Path Nets: Concurrence and Recurrence in the Dynamics of Organizing, this paper delves into the complex temporal dynamics that shape organizational life.
The Core Idea: Path Nets
Organizational scholars often focus on the actions and decisions of actors - the "doings" and "sayings". However, this research brings a fresh perspective by highlighting the importance of the "comings" and "goings" - the temporal interactions of people, resources, and events. These dynamics are conceptualized as "path nets", a framework that captures how concurrent paths intersect to form the fabric of organizational life. Path nets challenge traditional binaries of stability and change, showing instead how these elements coexist and evolve over time.
Why This Matters
Temporal structures - patterns in the timing and sequence of events - play a critical role in shaping organizational outcomes. From project schedules and meeting cycles to fiscal calendars, these structures regulate how opportunities emerge, how innovations are fostered, and how disruptions are managed. Path nets offer a new lens for understanding these dynamics by integrating mechanisms such as planning, agency, entrainment, and chance.
Key Implications for Practice and Research
- Rethinking Stability and Change: Stability isn’t the absence of change, nor is change purely disruptive. Path nets show how recurring patterns provide a foundation for both stability and innovation.
- Opportunities and Inclusion: By visualizing temporal interactions, leaders can better manage disruptions, foster collaboration, and promote inclusivity.
- Navigating Complexity: The framework emphasizes managing recurrence - not just one-off actions - highlighting how leaders can influence organizational dynamics by orchestrating the "comings and goings" that create opportunities.
A Call to Engage
The insights from this research are particularly relevant for scholars and practitioners in strategic management. By examining how path nets influence the dynamics of organizing, we can uncover new ways to tackle contemporary challenges like resilience, innovation, and equity in organizations. We invite our community to explore these ideas further and consider their applications in their own work.
The full article is available here: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2022.0412, opens an external URL in a new window
