  This paper introduces a model of multi-unit organizations with either static
structures, i.e., they are designed top-down following classical approaches to
organizational design, or dynamic structures, i.e., the structures emerge over
time from micro-level decisions. In the latter case, the units are capable of
learning about the technical interdependencies of the task they face, and they
use their knowledge by adapting the task allocation from time to time. In both
static and dynamic organizations, searching for actions to increase the
performance can either be carried out individually or collaboratively. The
results indicate that (i) collaborative search processes can help overcome the
adverse effects of inefficient task allocations as long as there is an internal
fit with other organizational design elements, and (ii) for dynamic
organizations, the emergent task allocation does not necessarily mirror the
technical interdependencies of the task the organizations face, even though the
same (or even higher) performances are achieved.
