Figure 1. Organizational transformation: a complex process

Transformations can be seen as a means of adjusting the organization to fit its environment, and this is an aspect of the interdependent relationship between context and individual and collective actions^29,30.

The interdependence between organizational structure and individual and collective actions and conditions is crucial for driving transformations in organizational contexts. Organizational structure encompasses the inter-professional interactions that foster knowledge sharing and contribute to stability³¹. These complex social phenomena involve the emergence of individual and collective dynamics by promoting collaboration in pursuit of organizational objectives that motivate transformation⁹.

Academic research has primarily focused on the disruption of interprofessional relations and, more specifically, power relations, from a social perspective^24,27,30. The process of organizational transformation can be complicated by the risk of failure that arises from challenging and disrupting an established configuration of power³². This social group perspective adds further intricacy to the transformation process in pluralistic organizations, as the irregular alignment of transformation with the divergent interests of professional groups can lead to instability³³.

The structurationist approach, as outlined by Giddens³⁴, is a compelling method for comprehending organizational changes as a complex social occurrence involving individual and collective dynamics. This theory is grounded in three core principles: structure, the duality of structure based on the recursivity of action and structure, and the system³⁴. The structure refers to the rules (i.e., the system of domination), the meanings ascribed to these rules, the actions and interactions (i.e., the system of signification), and the legitimation, which determine the recognition and application of the rules³⁵.

This theory provides a comprehensive platform for understanding how social structures and individual actions intersect and how individual actions can both perpetuate or alter social structures³⁴. The structuration theory highlights the interdependence between action and structure, as structure shapes individual and collective action by influencing the relationships between actors, which in turn contribute to the organization’s structuring (as illustrated in figure 2).