Disruptions and Flexible Bureaucracy: Liminal Strategizing in Greyzones Between Peace and War
Journal: Academy of Management Proceedings
Year: 2025

Contemporary disruptions often last months or years, not days or weeks, requiring bureaucratic organizations that provide consistency and continuity. However, bureaucracies are typically rigid and inferior to temporary organizations in terms of flexibility in dealing with disruptions. Conversely, temporary organizations lack the continuity needed during prolonged disruptions. We learned about this poorly understood puzzle during our case study of Sweden’s defense administration’s military respon