UC Santa Barbara

This works identifies, and attempt to redress, four problematic issues in the organizational coordination literature. First, by distinguishing coordinating as the overarching process, coordinating mechanisms as the structures that are brought to bear, and coordination as the in situ interaction. Second, it explicates and distinguishes coordinating mechanism from coordination, and re-frames the myriad mechanisms in past research into three levels of consciousness specified by structuration theory. Third, it proposes a model relating structures (mechanisms) that affect practices (coordination) to outcomes—all within organizational members’ ongoing streams of activity and interaction. Fourth, we theorize organizational coordination as a distinctly communication phenomenon. The validity of this model is explored using mixed methods research conducted in two Phases, The first included in-depth interviews and some observations of meetings and interaction. The second involved the creation, administration, and analysis of a survey instrument. Results generally supported the theoretical underpinnings offered in the model, though did suggest some needed refinement of the model.