| A gap in the literature exists regarding the development of organizations. Organizations develop through life cycle stages, transforming the characteristic makeup of each stage along the way, as the organization learns to respond to challenges confronted. Metaphorically similar to the biological life cycle, the organization life cycle (OLC) is comprised of three general stages: birth, maturity, and death, or rebirth, with multiple permeations. Each stage is defined by certain characteristics, such as entrepreneurial leadership, administrative systems, and bureaucratic processes, for example. Transformations, then, are changes in the characteristics that make up the organization, occurring as the organization learns. The emergence of characteristics during stage transformation is identified through three criteria, systems, structure, and leadership. Applying learning protocols of action learning and collaborative inquiry to these criteria allows identification of characteristics central to each stage in the life cycle. The theoretical constructs of the OLC, transformation, and organization learning protocols are examined and analyzed through example life cycle studies of politics and strategic change, human resource management, effectiveness, and stakeholder theory. The retrospective case study research of the Nevada Agribusiness Development Team (NV ADT) was used to apply these theories holistically, identifying emerging characteristics of the team's life cycle stage development. The results of this research imply an application of these theoretical constructs holistically to similarly situated organizations will assist understanding of how to better prepare for developmental life cycle transformations, and more effectively apply organization energy and resources, as a result. |
