初创企业组织共享基模的形成机理研究

Research on the Emergence of Organizationally Shared Schemata in Entrepreneurial Ventures

组织共享基模代表组织成员对整体任务形成的共同理解及由此产生的共同行动倾向,是组织惯例最核心的构成,也是组织内动力和凝聚力的根本来源。因此,基于组织惯例、个体基模、集体基模等相关理论,从参与完成组织整体任务的核心成员之间的互动范式演化视角,采用具有理论探索和构建功能的探索性案例研究方法,对宏康针织这家初创企业形成共享基模的过程进行研究,将初创企业共享基模的形成过程划分为个体基模形成、局部共享基模形成和集体共享基模形成3个主要阶段,总结提炼各阶段的特点,并构建共享基模形成过程模型。研究结果表明,个体基模、互动范式(管理者之间或员工之间)及权力范式(管理者与员工之间)的演化共同促成初创企业组织集体共享基模的形成;类比迁移是形成个体新基模的重要途径,但新员工个体基模的形成还受管理者指令的影响;个体基模专业化及泛化是形成有效共享基模的基础;角色扮演是形成共享基模的关键。研究结论揭示了初创企业的组织成员在互动中对组织任务形成共同理解即共享基模的形成机理,为初创企业形成内部凝聚力及其早期发展提供实践指导。

Organizationally shared schemata, the common understanding of all members on the overall task of an organization and agreements about its performance in practice, presents the core component of organizational routines and the original source of internal cohesion of an organization. Especially for entrepreneurial firms without formalized routines, the first step toward organizing business activity is through the development of common understanding of the broad mission of the firm （ i. e. , shared schemata）, the various roles that different workers must play within the firm, and how to respond to crises and stimuli in accordance with this goal and roles. However, up to date, no study has comprehensively examined how the common understanding of all participants in new firms develops concerning the overall objective of an organization and agreement about how different roles and actions can serve this purpose. This study conducts a longitudinal interpretive and exploratory case study of Hocom, a young textile machinery manufacturing firm in China. Established in 2010, Hocom is now a successful supplier of specialized small batch textile production equipment for the SME textile and garment producer market. The study finds that shared schemata emerge through a three step process of formation of individual understanding or schemata, development of a partial shared schemata pushed by founding managers, and finally emergence of commonly held and accepted organizational understanding. Hocom has successfully developed common understanding concerning individual roles for each member, the overarching goal of the organization, and how each organization member＇s contribution fits with this objective. Shared schemata enable smooth operation and completion of tasks which has helped the firm prospers. More specifically, the results indicate that： the emergence of shared schemata in an entrepreneurial ventures relies on the evolution of individual schemata, interaction patterns between managers and between employees, and the power paradigm of managers ; analogical transfer plays an important role in creating new individual schemata, while the creation of an employee＇s individual schema also depends on the leadership of managers ; the expertisation and generation of individual schemata serves as a foundation for creation of shared schemata; and efficiently role taking is the key for building shared schemata. Despite its limitations, this study makes several important contributions to the emerging literature on schemata and organizational routines. It contributes to individual schemata theory by clarifying the structure of individual schemata, illustrating their creation and evolution process, and more importantly extends research on schema to a collective level by focusing on shared schemata for organizational tasks. Also, it furthers research on organizational routines by deeply exploring how their participants interact horizontally and vertically for efficient role taking and how their core construct shared schemata emerge. In conclusion, this research explores the complex process of shared schemata and illustrates the role of individual schemata and interaction patterns in the process ; offering an effective approach for improving the cohesion of organization and efficiency of finishing tasks.