Boundary Work for Structural Recombination

To demonstrate dynamic capability, firms conduct structural recombination of units to adapt to changing environments. It involves boundary work (regarding boundary blurring and boundary protection) for recombined units. However, we still know very little about the specific approaches and processes for structural recombination. Through a qualitative case study, I found that the firm tried different boundary blurring approaches (regarding whether the boundary was viewed as a whole or as different parts), which involved different processes and led to different outcomes. It is also found that the role of specialization was contingent on the boundary blurring approaches. This study advances our understanding of structural recombination by uncovering how boundary work can unfold in such a context. It also draws implications for studies on boundary work and specialization.