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Analysis of the level of decentralization of Spanish companies diagnosis and associated factors
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Published:
2025-06-30
Main Article Content
Abstract
Decentralization has proven to be an important factor of competitiveness for companies, especially in the face of turbulent and uncertain economic scenarios. This research, applying the World Management Survey methodology, analyzes the level of decentralization of Spanish companies, exploring the factors associated with it. A very low level of average decentralization has been found, and that larger companies, with an international presence and with greater skills of their employees tend to present more decentralized structures.
Article Details
Section
Organization and Human Resources
How to Cite
Analysis of the level of decentralization of Spanish companies: diagnosis and associated factors. (2025). UCJC Business and Society Review (formerly Known As Universia Business Review), 22(85). https://doi.org/10.57087/UBR.2025.V22.N2.03
References
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Aghion, P. y Tirole, J. (1997). Formal and real authority in organizations. Journal of Political Economy, 105(1), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1086/262063
Aghion, P., Bloom, N., Lucking, B., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2021). Turbulence, firm decentralization, and growth in bad times. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 13(1), 133-69. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20180752
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2010a). Does product market competition lead firms to decentralize? American Economic Review, 100(2), 434-38. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.100.2.434
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2010b). Recent advances in the empirics of organizational economics. Annual Review of Economics, 2(1), 105-137. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.economics.050708.143328
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2012). The organization of firms across countries. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 127(4), 1663-1705. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qje029
Brickley, J., A., Smith, C. y Zimmerman, J. (1995). The economics of organizational architecture. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 8(2), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6622.1995.tb00284.x
Burns, T. y Stalker, G. M. (1961). The management of innovation. Tavistock Publications. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198288787.001.0001
Caroli, E. y Van Reenen, J. (2001). Skill-biased organizational change? Evidence from a panel of British and French establishments. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(4), 1449-1492. https://doi.org/10.1162/003355301753265624
Chandler, A. D. (1962). Strategy and structure: Chapters in the history of the industrial enterprise. MIT press.
Chi, M., Muhammad, S., Khan, Z., Ali, S., y Li, R. Y. M. (2021). Is centralization killing innovation? The success story of technological innovation in fiscally decentralized countries. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 168, 120731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120731
Dekker, J., Lybaert, N., Steijvers, T. y Depaire, B. (2015). The effect of family business professionalization as a multidimensional construct on firm performance. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(2), 516-538. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12082
Duchek, S. (2020). Organizational resilience: a capability-based conceptualization. Business Research, 13(1), 215-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40685-019-0085-7
Garicano, L. (2000). Hierarchies and the organization of knowledge in production. Journal of Political Economy 108(5), 874-904. https://doi.org/10.1086/317671
Garicano, L. y Rayo, L. (2016). Why organizations fail: Models and cases. Journal of Economic Literature, 54(1), 137-92. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.54.1.137
Hayek, F. A. (1945). The use of knowledge in society. The American economic review, 35(4), 519-530. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789812701275_0025
Jensen, M. C, y Meckling, W. H. (1995). Specific and general knowledge, and organizational structure. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 8(2), 4-18.
Lange, O. (1936). The place of interest in the theory of production. The Review of Economic Studies, 3(3), 159-192. https://doi.org/10.2307/2967626
Lawrence, P. R. y Lorsch, J. W. (1967). Organization and Environment: Managing Differentiation and Integration. Harvard Business School Publications.
Meyer, J. W. y Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340-363. https://doi.org/10.1086/226550
Penrose, E. (1959). The Theory of the Growth of the Firm. Oxford University press.
Prendergast, C. (2002). The tenuous trade-off between risk and incentives. Journal of political Economy, 110(5), 1071-1102. https://doi.org/10.1086/341874
Scur, D., Sadun, R., Van Reenen, J., Lemos, R. y Bloom, N. (2021). The World Management Survey at 18: lessons and the way forward. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 37(2), 231-258. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grab009
Simon, H. A. (1979). Rational decision making in business organizations. The American Economic Review, 69(4), 493-513. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1808698
Aghion, P. y Tirole, J. (1997). Formal and real authority in organizations. Journal of Political Economy, 105(1), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1086/262063
Aghion, P., Bloom, N., Lucking, B., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2021). Turbulence, firm decentralization, and growth in bad times. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 13(1), 133-69. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20180752
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2010a). Does product market competition lead firms to decentralize? American Economic Review, 100(2), 434-38. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.100.2.434
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2010b). Recent advances in the empirics of organizational economics. Annual Review of Economics, 2(1), 105-137. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.economics.050708.143328
Bloom, N., Sadun, R. y Van Reenen, J. (2012). The organization of firms across countries. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 127(4), 1663-1705. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qje029
Brickley, J., A., Smith, C. y Zimmerman, J. (1995). The economics of organizational architecture. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 8(2), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6622.1995.tb00284.x
Burns, T. y Stalker, G. M. (1961). The management of innovation. Tavistock Publications. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198288787.001.0001
Caroli, E. y Van Reenen, J. (2001). Skill-biased organizational change? Evidence from a panel of British and French establishments. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(4), 1449-1492. https://doi.org/10.1162/003355301753265624
Chandler, A. D. (1962). Strategy and structure: Chapters in the history of the industrial enterprise. MIT press.
Chi, M., Muhammad, S., Khan, Z., Ali, S., y Li, R. Y. M. (2021). Is centralization killing innovation? The success story of technological innovation in fiscally decentralized countries. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 168, 120731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120731
Dekker, J., Lybaert, N., Steijvers, T. y Depaire, B. (2015). The effect of family business professionalization as a multidimensional construct on firm performance. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(2), 516-538. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12082
Duchek, S. (2020). Organizational resilience: a capability-based conceptualization. Business Research, 13(1), 215-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40685-019-0085-7
Garicano, L. (2000). Hierarchies and the organization of knowledge in production. Journal of Political Economy 108(5), 874-904. https://doi.org/10.1086/317671
Garicano, L. y Rayo, L. (2016). Why organizations fail: Models and cases. Journal of Economic Literature, 54(1), 137-92. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.54.1.137
Hayek, F. A. (1945). The use of knowledge in society. The American economic review, 35(4), 519-530. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789812701275_0025
Jensen, M. C, y Meckling, W. H. (1995). Specific and general knowledge, and organizational structure. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 8(2), 4-18.
Lange, O. (1936). The place of interest in the theory of production. The Review of Economic Studies, 3(3), 159-192. https://doi.org/10.2307/2967626
Lawrence, P. R. y Lorsch, J. W. (1967). Organization and Environment: Managing Differentiation and Integration. Harvard Business School Publications.
Meyer, J. W. y Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340-363. https://doi.org/10.1086/226550
Penrose, E. (1959). The Theory of the Growth of the Firm. Oxford University press.
Prendergast, C. (2002). The tenuous trade-off between risk and incentives. Journal of political Economy, 110(5), 1071-1102. https://doi.org/10.1086/341874
Scur, D., Sadun, R., Van Reenen, J., Lemos, R. y Bloom, N. (2021). The World Management Survey at 18: lessons and the way forward. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 37(2), 231-258. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grab009
Simon, H. A. (1979). Rational decision making in business organizations. The American Economic Review, 69(4), 493-513. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1808698