Fit, Equifinality, and Organizational Effectiveness: A Test of Two Configurational Theories

Mintzberg's and Miles and Snow's configurational theories have both received widespread attention. Most researchers, however, have interpreted these theories in terms of categories of organizations rather than organizational configurations based on ideal types. We explicated the logical structure of configurational theories and developed a set of configurational fit models that are congruent with alternative assumptions of equifinality, which is the premise that multiple organizational forms are equally effective. Then the two theories were formalized with these models and tested empirically. Contrary to our expectations, the results do not support Mintzberg's theory that organizations will be more effective to the extent that they resemble his five ideal types. In contrast with these null results, configurational fit based on Miles and Snow's theory predicted 24 percent of the variance in overall organizational effectiveness.

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