ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION: RETHINKING INFORMATION FLOW IN THE INTEGRATED PRODUCT TEAM

In summary, the structures of an organization regulate not just the hierarchical arrangement of workers within the firm but also the means by which they interact with each other to complete their tasks. These definitions are applied to the problem of technology transition in Section 2.4. This study primarily focuses on the information structure and its impact on the effectiveness of technology transition initiatives. Although Nadler and Tushman consider communication patterns to be informally constructed, and therefore outside the conscious control of the firm’s management, the research examines how specific information flow paths can be encouraged in the firm by virtue of the benefits they impart to the technology transition process. The authority and decision structures are referred to where necessary when distinctions are made between
information flow paths and other organizational patterns.