Organisational inertia and the dynamics of multiple organisational routines

Studies on routine dynamics have argued that as organisational routines are not static and can change endogenously, routines are a source of organisational flexibility and not inertia. However, most studies have taken only single routines as the unit of analysis. This study extends this stream of research by examining multiple routines; drawing on insights from different streams of research, this study furthers our knowledge of multiple-routine dynamics. The aim is to examine whether multiple organisational routines that change endogenously lead to organisational inertia. It argues that even if we take the perspective of routine dynamics research that single routines can change endogenously, multiple routines can be a source of organisational inertia and, thus, impede organisational adaptation, which was overlooked in prior studies. Endogenous change makes routines sub-optimal over time, which increases coordination costs among multiple routines, leading to organisational inertia. The study explores the potential downside of multiple routine dynamics.