A meta-analysis of the relationship between organizational improvisation and performance

Abstract

A growing number of studies argue that organizational improvisation is increasingly important for the competitive advantage of firms. Given growing interest in organizational improvisation, this paper proposed a framework for its outcomes and tested it using meta-analysis. Based on analysis of 49 correlations from 48 studies on the topic, the paper offered much needed clarity. The research results indicated that organizational improvisation-performance link was positive and significant. Results also showed that this relationship is context dependent. Using sub-group analysis and meta-regression analysis, the paper identified some moderators affecting this relationship. Factors such as the cultural context, the data source and improvisational measuring dimensions affected the impact of organizational improvisation on performance to a large extent. In addition, there wasn't publication bias in this study through the analysis of funnel plot, Begg's rank correlation test and Egger's regression analysis. Based on these findings, we developed recommendations for future research.