Prado Rios, Patricia Prado orcid.org/0000-0002-4155-3205 and Sapsed, Jonathan (2016) The Anthropophagic Organization: How Innovations Transcend the Temporary in a Project-based Organization. Organization Studies. pp. 1793-1818. ISSN 1741-3044
Abstract
This article shows how innovations in projects may be diffused successfully within a large project-based organization (PBO) and how they ‘live on’ through their adaptation. We draw on the metaphorical notion of anthropophagy, literally ‘human cannibalism’, which is used to explain the appropriation of otherness resulting in ongoing organizational life. Prior organization literature has stressed the difficulties of the transition from the temporary to the permanent, especially the failure of database-oriented approaches, and argued that these barriers may be overcome with repeatable standardized templates. In contrast we show that multiple innovations may be adopted within the same PBO, which manifest as differentiated, combined forms. Cases in the large energy and engineering company, Petrobras, show a systematic innovation process involving subject experts, but centrally a database containing records of 1104 mandatory and discretionary innovations. The article analyses these data, process documentation and observations of 15 completed innovation projects. The article argues that in addition to technical factors the anthropophagic attitude motivates adopters to take on the innovations of others with the appetising prospect of appropriation and adaptation.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2016 |
Keywords: | anthropophagy,boundary objects,innovation,knowledge transfer,project-based organization,temporary organizations |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > The York Management School The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Politics (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 17 Aug 2018 13:30 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 14:46 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840616655491 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1177/0170840616655491 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:134726 |
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