This dissertation is a primarily theoretical study of self-organization, through which a constellation of organizations can control the process of strategic adaptation in the paradigm shift. Curiously, existing theories about the control mechanism seem to be insufficient to address the problems of control seriously in the pre-paradigmatic state. The dissertation includes three main chapters of literature review, theoretical analysis, and case study. The extensive literature review provides a fertile foundation to support this study. The chapter of theoretical analysis aims to theorize about self-organization as a new control mechanism. The case study chapter seeks to address the new conceptual model and its application to the phenomenon. Consequently, the dissertation not only presents a detailed comparison of existing theories but also elaborates the new model of control mechanism. This study considers the phenomenon of manufacturing without a factory as the evidence of the controlled system without governance structure in the paradigm shift. Through the content analysis method, the case study analyzes how differently IBM and Apple, Inc. have controlled manufacturing processes entirely outsourced to external partners and why IBM failed the challenges while Apple could succeed. The theoretical analysis addresses why firms must manage external adjustment processes and be agile with the high capacity of information processing as a constellation of organizations grows. This study will shed lights on uncovering the management of postmodern organizations in the twenty-first century. / Business Administration/Strategic Management

Arbetskraftsbrist och en krympande välfärdsstat har ökat fokusen på individer som står långt från arbetsmarknaden såväl som på arbetsintegrerande sociala företag. I den här hermeneutiska studien som baseras på intervjuer med tjänstemän som arbetar gentemot dessa grupper undersöker vi hur tjänstemännen upplever sitt handlingsutrymme och sin roll gentemot klienterna.   För att kunna utföra sitt arbete behöver de handlingsutrymme vilket ligger i linje med Michael Lipskys teori om gatubyråkrater (Lipsky 2010). Sociala företag beskrivs som behövda för att lösa brister på arbetsmarknaden men också problematiska eftersom både de sociala entreprenörerna och klienterna har en bakgrund med bristfällig skolgång vilket leder till problem att navigera i samhället. Tjänstemännen kompenserar för det genom att ta på sig olika roller.   Paradoxen med de sociala företagen analyseras med hjälp av en teori om pre-paradigmatiska fält och isomorfism som för med sig ett tryck på organisationerna att anpassa sig för att uppnå legitimitet och få tillgång till resurser. Med mer kunskap om den roll som tjänstemän kan spela för att förebygga utestängningar från arbetsmarknaden skulle det kunna möjliggöra för resurser att distribueras effektivare inom välfärdssystemet. / Lack of workers and a shrinking welfare state have increased the focus on individuals who are excluded from the labor market as well as social enterprises. In this hermeneutic study, based on interviews with officials working towards these groups, we investigate how officials perceive their discretion and role towards clients. To be able to do their job they need discretion which is in line with Michael Lipsky's theory on street-level bureaucrats (Lipsky 2010).   Social enterprises are described as needed to solve shortcomings in the labor market, but also problematic, as the social entrepreneurs could be lacking skills, as both clients and social entrepreneurs have a background of failed schooling due to disabilities and socio-economic causes. Bourdieu’s concept of doxa is applied to understand how failed schooling lead to shortcomings in navigating society and how officials compensate for this by taking on different roles.   The paradox of the social enterprises is analyzed with a theory on pre-paradigmatic fields and isomorphism which brings a pressure for organizations to conform to gain legitimacy and access to resources. More knowledge on the role the officials can play to prevent exclusion from the labor market could enable resources to be more effectively distributed within the welfare system.