Supervisor: Dr Mehdi Safavi
Background
Organisations frequently struggle to adapt to environmental changes, often exhibiting inertia despite actively responding to shifts in their surroundings. This paradox is particularly evident in firms that integrate algorithmic routines into decision-making processes, expecting such technologies to enhance adaptability. However, recent research suggests that algorithmic routines can instead perpetuate dynamic inertia, enabling organisations to absorb environmental changes without fundamentally altering underlying structures or practices.
Scholars have traditionally attributed organisational inertia to structural rigidities, cognitive constraints, or resourcing patterns. However, emerging research highlights the role of algorithmic and sociomaterial factors in the reproduction of inertia. Organisations may engage in what appears to be adaptation—modifying routines, adjusting algorithmic models, or incorporating new data—while still failing to make substantive changes that address evolving external threats. A routine-level analysis of these dynamics offers novel insights into the mechanisms that sustain both stability and change.
Possible Research Areas
Mehdi is seeking outstanding doctoral students with a strong academic background who are interested in pursuing research at the intersection of Strategy and Organisation Studies. His current doctoral supervision opportunities revolve around studying how organisations navigate change, inertia, and transformation in various contexts. Some key areas of interest include:
- Algorithmic Routines and Organisational Inertia: Investigating how algorithmic routines shape decision-making and whether they reinforce or mitigate organisational inertia.
- Routine Dynamics in Post-Merger Integration (PMI): Examining how organisational routines evolve following mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on the tension between stability and transformation.
- Sociomateriality and Organisational Change: Exploring the interplay between technological artifacts, human agency, and institutional processes in shaping organisational adaptation.
- Path Dependence and Strategic Adaptation: Understanding how firms balance their historical trajectory with the need for strategic reorientation in dynamic industries.
- Mechanisms of Routine Inertia in Crisis Situations: SWAG合集ing how organisational routines, particularly those involving algorithmic decision-making, contribute to or hinder adaptation during crises (e.g., financial crises, technological disruptions).
Candidate Profile
Strong applicants should demonstrate a good grasp of the recent development in the areas of organisational change/inertia/routines as well as a strong qualitative research foundation. Applications that are too broad and lack the necessary relevance and focus would not be considered.
Contact Details: mehdi.safavi@cranfield.ac.uk |
