It has been argued that organizational changes as they took place during the massive restructuring and workplace transformations of the past two decades resulted in a decrease of direct control in organizations and enhanced employee autonomy. However, there is growing evidence that these restructurings do not necessarily lead to increased autonomy, but may instead lead to tighter organizational control structures. Further, there is little evidence yet about the interrelation between control and change in the public sector and particularly among governmental bureaucracies. We are interested in how fluctuations in control structures induce organizational changes, and how in turn organizational changes affect the intensity and nature of control. By means of theoretical modeling and multi-method empirical research, we develop an alternative for the understanding of the structure and implications of organizational changes in the public sector. Our empirical research involves case studies, the analysis of a sample of 1500 Dutch business and public organizations, and personnel and organizational data of 72 agencies and ministries of the Mexican federal government.
Supervisors: Rafael Wittek, Liesbet Heyse
Project Publications
- After the Reform: Change in Dutch Public and Private Organizations.
- Organizational Pathways to Compliant Reform Implementation: Evidence from the Mexican Civil Service Reform.
- Building Enforcement Capacity: Evidence from the Mexican Civil Service Reform.
- Evil Tidings: Are Reorganizations more Successful if Employees are Informed Early?
Defended: February 26, 2015 (cum laude)
Current job: Professor, El Colegio de México