Measuring the organizational responsiveness through managerial flexibility

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of managerial flexibility and analyse its relationship to the organizational responsiveness of firms. This paper seeks to measure responsiveness by determining the fit between contextual and organizational variables.Design/methodology/approachUsing an empirical approach and data drawn from a wide range of countries and different industries this paper obtains a sufficiently validated multidimensional scale.FindingsThe research proposes a measurement scale of organizational responsiveness through four types of managerial flexibility: internal and external, structural and strategic.Practical implicationsWhereas researchers can benefit from the development of a methodology that integrates different perspectives on fit, practitioners can identify the organizational responsiveness in their organizations.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by proposing a method to identify the organizational responsiveness of firms and developing a measurement scale.