Rethinking Organizational Structures to Support Digital Innovation

Lindsey Wharton

Florida State University

Devin Soper

Florida State University

How can organizational structure support a culture of digital innovation?

A question. A conversation. A vision.

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Background and Context

Organizational review, imperative for innovation, and

problems with traditional structures

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FSU Libraries amidst organizational review

• Goals: resize Research & Learning Services division, review organizational structure to support Libraries’ strategic initiatives
• Blended model of functional specialists and subject librarians
• Traditional structure became a challenge to digital innovation & cross-divisional teams

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Imperative for Innovation

• Need for change, resistance to change
• Emergent change management and embracing flexibility, flatter structures
• Opportunity to rethink and create structure to support innovation

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Libraries face the dilemma that the transformation of the academic information system is faster than the inherent transformation capacity of libraries.

(Horstmann, 2018)

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Emergent change advocates find that change may happen too fast for an organization to use a planned approach… Change is ubiquitous, and emergent change concentrates on preparing employees for the action of change instead of focusing on a specific transformation....

(Phillips, 2021)

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Problems with Traditional Structures

Placement of innovative functional specialists in units that provide traditional services

Hybrid roles that include responsibility for both innovative and traditional services

(In our experience:)

Feelings of burnout and isolation

Difficulty advocating and finding time for development of innovative services

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A New Model

Revisioning organizational structures to support innovation, foreground people and relationships, foster collaboration, and encourage shared leadership

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A New Model to Advance Digital Strategy & Innovation

• Our proposed DSI unit would include scholarly communication and publishing, digital humanities, distance and online learning, and digital media and accessibility
• Uniting innovative functional specialists in a single unit to cultivate a culture of emergent change, innovation, and risk-taking
• Unit composition should be driven by local context, including emergent needs on campus and existing personnel and services

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Foregrounding People & Relationships

• DSI model is predominantly structural, but it is predicated on importance of people and relationships in driving change
• Provides people in newer roles with the increased unity, purpose, and empowerment that comes with a shared focus on innovation
• Leverages relationships between functional specialists and their many campus partners

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Fostering Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• DSI model can increase cross-divisional communication and collaboration when paired with other strategies for driving organizational change
• Formation of functional teams with representation from DSI as well as other units
• Implementation of dotted reporting lines to increase communication and accountability between functional teams and DSI co-directors

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Encouraging Shared Leadership

• DSI is led by co-directors and has a flatter reporting structure than most library units, which has many benefits:
• Better decisions (not more efficient)
• Flexibility and empowerment
• Innovation and experimentation
• Valuing relationships
• Aligning with EDI and anti-racism

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(Jackson et al., 2006)

Challenges and Limitations

• “Starving” other units of funding, resources, and “innovative” people
• Dependence of co-directorship on specific personnel / risk of breakdowns in communication with the wrong personnel
• Lack of prestigious titles (co-director vs associate dean)

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Conclusion

• A unit or department charged with innovation can foster emergent change in Libraries
• Supporting functional specialists is key to the success of innovative digital services
• This model privileges people and relationships, encourages shared leadership, and can support (rather than inhibit) cross-divisional collaboration
• The need for this model is underlined by the pace of change in higher ed., libraries’ inherent resistance to chance, and the advent of the great resignation

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Thanks!

Any questions?

You can find us at:

• Lindsey Wharton | lwharton@fsu.edu | @lnwharton
• Devin Soper | dsoper@fsu.edu | @devinsope

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References

Breitkopf, M. (2018). But this is how we have always done it: Overcoming resistance to change in the quest to support distance learners. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 12(3–4), 148–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533290X.2018.1498627

Church-Duran, J. (2017). Distinctive roles: Engagement, innovation, and the liaison model. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 17(2), 257–271. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0015

Hickerson, H. T., Brosz, J., & Crema, L. (2022). Creating new roles for libraries in academic research: Research conducted at the University of Calgary, 2015–2020. College & Research Libraries, 83(1). https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.83.1.129

Holcombe, E., & Kezar, A. (2017, May 10). The whys and hows of shared leadership in higher education. Higher Education Today. https://www.higheredtoday.org/2017/05/10/whys-hows-shared-leadership-higher-education/

Hoodless, C., & Pinfield, S. (2018). Subject vs. functional: Should subject librarians be replaced by functional specialists in academic libraries? Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 50(4), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000616653647

Horstmann, W. (2018). Are academic libraries changing fast enough? Bibliothek Forschung Und Praxis, 42(3), 433–440. https://doi.org/10.1515/bfp-2018-0061

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References (Contd.)

Jackson, B., Pfeifer, D., & Vine, B. (n.d.). The co-leadership of transformational leadership: A discourse analysis (p. 22). Australian & New Zealand Academy of Management. https://www.anzam.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf-manager/2152_JACKSON,_PFEIFER_AND_VINE,_ANZAM_2006_FINAL[1].PDF

Jaguszewski, J. M., & Williams, K. (2013). New roles for new times: Transforming liaison roles in research libraries. Association of Research Libraries. https://www.arl.org/resources/new-roles-for-new-times-transforming-liaison-roles-in-research-libraries/

Knight, J. A. (2017). Academic librarians as change champions: A framework for managing change. Library Management, 38(6/7), 294–301. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-03-2017-0031

Kranich, N., Lotts, M., Nielsen, J., & Ward, J. H. (2020). Moving from collecting to connecting: Articulating, assessing, and communicating the work of liaison librarians. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 20(2), 285–304. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2020.0015

Mamtora, J. (2013). Transforming library research services: Towards a collaborative partnership. Library Management, 34(4/5), 352–371. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435121311328690

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References (Contd.)

Martin, J. (2017). Personal relationships and professional results: The positive impact of transformational leaders on academic librarians. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 43(2), 108–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2017.01.012

McAuliffe, N., Bostain, N. S., & Witchel, A. D. (2019). The relationship between authentic leadership, trust, and engagement in library personnel. Journal of Library Administration, 59(2), 129–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2018.1562822

Murawski, M. (2022, February 26). 5 reasons why your organization should be thinking about co-leadership. The Startup. https://medium.com/swlh/5-reasons-why-your-organization-should-be-thinking-about-co-leadership-7eb2e26883e2

Phillips, J. B. (2021). Change happens: Practitioner use of change management strategies [Ph.D., The Florida State University]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2623463359/abstract/BBB62557EC4340FDPQ/1

Williamson, V. (2008). Relationships and engagement: The challenges and opportunities for effective leadership and change management in a Canadian research library. Library Management, 29(1/2), 29–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120810844621

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