Hierarchical control often fails to change entrenched organizational action patterns

Evidence

It is well known that, from time to time, despite hierarchical control, it is extremely hard to change organizational action patterns (e.g., Beer & Nohria, 2000; Kaufman, 1995); they are quasi locked in. — Jörg Sydow, Georg Schreyögg, and Jochen Koch, Organizational Path Dependence, 48

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the reform-resistance literature — Kaufman’s work on governmental bureaus and Beer and Nohria on change failure.