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
actions29,30.
2.2. Organizational transformations as a social
process
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 perspective24,27,30. 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.
2.3. Organizational
transformations as a multi-level phenomenon
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).