文档介绍：Organizational Size, Flexibility, and Performance:
A System Dynamics Approach

Charles C. Han
Department of Public Administration
Tamkang University
Alley 2, Lane 76
Hsinyi Rd., 6th Sec.
Taipei 110
Taiwan, .

Phone: (02)2727-8981
E-mail: <******@>
Abstract
anizational size has effects on flexibility has long been an issue of
discussion and debate in the field anization studies. In addition, whether
organizations with a greater degree of flexibility will perform better in a rapidly changing
environment has also been widely discussed in the literature anizational change.
This study intends to illuminate the interwoven nature and reciprocal relationships among
organizational size, flexibility, and performance by building a dynamic model to examine
the contradictory findings in existing theories. The results of analyzing the behaviors of
the model suggest anizational flexibility is a construct of multiple attributions that
has been overlooked in different studies. As a result, only if we can clarify the meaning of
flexibility, can we then resolve the arguments regarding whether large or small
organizations are more flexible, and whether anizations tend to outperform less
flexible ones.
Keywords: organizational size, flexibility, performance, organizational change, resource
allocation, system dynamics.
1
Introduction
In the field anization studies, organizational size, as a critical factor that
affects the degree of flexibility, is an issue of discussion and debate. For example, some
scholars contend that anizations tend to have a higher level of flexibility for
essfully implementing change attempts due to the diversity of their resources and
specialties and the greater tolerance capacity resulting from more available resources
(Kaufman, 1971; Boeker, 1991). In contrast, other authors hold that only small
organizations have greater flexibility to adapt to change