The (Vertical) Network Firm as a Political Coalition: The Reorganization of Fiat Auto

摘要: The article argues that organizational sociology would do well to revisit James March’s famed imagery of the business firm as a political coalition in light today’s decentralized production regimes. Specifically, we show increased tendency firms coordinate design and making highly complex products across boundaries has fundamentally altered been by politics building. This is demonstrated using 15 year longitudinal qualitative case study vertical network revolves about Fiat Auto. In those years, went from one most vertically integrated automakers Europe, least integrated, wake severe crisis now swung back other way. We argue this evolution cannot adequately be understood without reference an interplay inter- intra-firm relations, including especially spilling intra-organizational rivalries boundaries, effects cross-firm coalitions on fights. Analyzing these relations 'political' perspective allows us better understand behavior not merely particular firms, but also interacting networks world blurred – existent boundaries.