EVIDENCE ON ROUTINE DYNAMICS IN A BRAZILIAN FRANCHISING BRAND

This paper aims to highlight the continuing relevance of March and Simon’s concept of programs and related propositions to much recent discussion of change in repeated behavior. Drawing on a single case study – a Brazilian Franchising brand in the car rental sector that has innovated the way to structure inter-organizational relationships within the chain – we stress the idea of repetitive behavior linked to programs helps to identify two levels of analysis at which human agency of those who execute programs may find expression. Our study highlights that the formation of novel programs prior to the accomplishment of actions may reflect the agency of those who execute programs as much as the performance of actions. This study represents the first attempt to extend March and Simon’s work, by investigating whether its concepts and propositions are likely to produce valid interpretations of why and how repeated behavior change over time even when the attention focuses on a research context and level of analysis different from those that have made the ground for their original development.