Change the way of working. Ways into self‐organization with the use of Holacracy: An empirical investigation

Abstract Holacracy, a self‐managing design for organizations, uses the radical decentralization of authority and a lack of a manager‐subordinate relationship. It differs significantly from traditional organizational forms, and in particular, the transformation of the organization from a traditional to a holacratic system brings with it various challenges, especially for employees and teams that need to be resolved, so organizations can realize their potential. This study uses an explorative case study design with 43 qualitative interviews in Swiss holacratic organizations to gain deeper insights into the organizational system itself and especially the path into the holacratic system. We conclude by presenting an overarching model and identifying four different ways to handle the change into the self‐managing organizational design.