Revisiting the Organisational DNA Metaphor: Unlocking Genetic Potential (Published)

Strategic management researchers reckon that the combination of the biology and genetics reality with the management science, could provide effective steps in improving and developing organizations; hence, the initiative paradigm shift of organisational DNA metaphor. This study embarks on an in-depth review of both the organisational DNA concept and the DNA knowledge frontier – firstly, to assess whether the organisational DNA metaphor and academic discussions are warranted; secondly, if advanced DNA knowledge could be integrated into the organisational DNA concept for the betterment of operations management; and if so, thirdly, provide a spectrum of organisational DNA model. The review of DNA knowledge frontier reveals that the genome (DNA) has two components – the “coding DNA” (or Genes) and “non-coding DNA”. Their integration into organisational concept has enabled to establish an analogy: The “coding DNA” (or Genes) that contains the instructions needed for an organism to grow and survive, – translates into unique organizational traits (“structure, decision rights, motivators, and information”); The “non-coding DNA” that controls genes activity (“transcription, and hence, translation, or can switch genes on and off”) and ensures correct chromosomes bundling, which is vital for cell survival, – translates into renewal and innovation without which an organisation survival is compromised. The study proposes a spectrum of organisational DNA model and establishes a pivotal point for re-alignment between internal and external environments.

 

Keywords: Metaphor, Organisational DNA, and innovation., renewal

Building a Conceptual Proposed Model for the Total Innovation DNA (Published)

The study depended on a grounded theory approach (Walker, 2007), Dubin’s scientific method steps had been followed when the proposed model had been built (Dubin, 1978). Therefore, the study tried to link two hot concepts together, which are rising in both the organization theory and the innovation theory fields, these two concepts were the organizational DNA and the total innovation management, so  the literature has been reviewed to set a clear definition for the total innovation DNA and to explore the variables, which described the concept of Total Innovation DNA) and to determine how these variables were measured and how they are related with each other, then the study provided its conceptual model with proposed measurement items for each variable.

Keywords: Metaphor, Organization Theory., innovation theory, organizational DNA., total innovation management