Logistical transition in temporary organisations : the case of the event industry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Temporary organisations have been known and studied for many years, but there are still many unknowns. Since the founding writings, the scientific community has continued to develop knowledge and to highlight the specific characteristics of this type of structure. However, as has recently been highlighted, the transition from the state of a potential project to that of a project in progress remains particularly poorly understood. Often referred to as transitional phases, these periods of change are still poorly defined. After presenting the literature, the paper aims to highlight that these phases are primarily dedicated to the transfer of coordination from the strategic top to the logistic functions. The main academic contribution of the paper lies in the proposal of a conceptualisation of transitional phases around three dimensions for a logistics integration. From an empirical point of view, the paper is based on multiple case studies from the field of event management.