Fit for solving the grand challenges? From organization design choices to ecosystem solutions

Abstract

This Point of View article discusses the implications of different organization designs for solving the Grand Challenges. In line with this Special Issue, we view “organization designs as problem-solving systems”. However, we are skeptical that contemporary organization designs indeed “foster collective action that is needed to solve these grand challenges”. We outline different organization design choices for solving the grand challenges and provide a categorization of how selected types of organizations are fit to respond to these based on organizational goals (social–profit), organizational scale (local–global), and organizational decision making (agile–bureaucratic). In conclusion, we offer ideas on how to harness complementarities in different organization designs to develop collaborative ecosystem solutions.