Boundary Spanning Roles and Organization Structure

Abstract

Boundaries are a defining characteristic of organizations, and boundary roles are the link between the environment and the organization. The creation, elaboration, and functions of boundary spanning roles are examined, with attention to environmental and technological sources of variation in the structure of boundary roles. Eleven hypotheses integrate the material reviewed and are amenable to empirical test. Future research should overcome problems created when organizations are treated as “wholes” or single entities.