A Multidimensional Matrix Model for the Study of Organisational Improvisation

Recent Publication at BIBS

BIBS is pleased to announce the publication of a new research article by Dr. Raphael Lissillour, associate researcher at BIBS, co-authored with Javier Alfonso Rodríguez-Escobar and Jean-Michel Sahut, in Management & Prospective:

A multidimensional matrix model for the study of organisational improvisation
Management & Prospective, 2025, Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 147–166.
Link: 10.3917/e.g12000.425.0147

This article contributes to the study of organisational improvisation by proposing an integrative model that connects the components, degrees, and levels of improvisation. It shows how organisations respond to uncertainty, technological change, and operational constraints not only through formal planning, but also through situated adaptation, creativity, intuition, and bricolage.

Context and Methodology

The study focuses on the post-implementation phase of an SAP ERP system in the Chinese subsidiary of a multinational industrial group. ERP systems are usually designed to standardize processes, reinforce control, and improve transparency. However, once implemented, they often generate local adaptations, workarounds, and informal practices.

Based on a longitudinal qualitative case study, the research draws on interviews, internal documents, and observations collected over a two-year period. The study examines how employees and managers respond when formal system requirements do not fully match local operational needs.

Findings

The research shows that organisational improvisation is not simply a deviation from formal rules. In many cases, improvisation becomes a practical mechanism through which employees preserve operational continuity, solve problems, and adapt standardized systems to local realities.

The article identifies three central components of improvisation:

Intuition, when actors rely on experience and judgment to respond quickly to unexpected situations.
Creativity, when employees generate new ways of solving problems beyond existing routines.
Bricolage, when available tools and resources are recombined to produce workable solutions.

The model also distinguishes between different degrees of improvisation — minor, bounded, and structural — and different levels of application — individual, interpersonal, and organisational.

In the case studied, many local adaptations emerged around SAP use, including parallel tools, manual adjustments, and informal coordination practices. These improvisations helped users cope with the rigidity of the system while maintaining performance and operational responsiveness.

Key Contributions

The article makes three main contributions:

It advances research on organisational improvisation by proposing a multidimensional matrix model that integrates intuition, creativity, and bricolage with the degrees and levels at which improvisation occurs.
It contributes to information systems research by showing that ERP post-implementation is not only a technical or procedural phase, but also a period of learning, adaptation, and local problem-solving.
It contributes to organisation theory by explaining how improvisation is shaped by broader organisational orientations, including structuralist, constructivist, and behavioural approaches to control, flexibility, and learning.

For managers, the study suggests that improvisation should not always be interpreted as resistance or non-compliance. When properly understood, it can reveal where formal systems need adjustment, where local knowledge creates value, and how organisations can balance standardization with flexibility.

Read the article: DOI 10.3917/e.g12000.425.0147