Multifunctional organisation — a systems-theoretical concept and its practical implications

Abstract

Purpose This Theory Transfer and Impact Article addresses a paradox in how organisations are observed and theorised: while governments are assumed to be political, schools educational, and firms economic, these same organisations often act across multiple functional domains—accumulating capital, performing research, or exercising power. The article proposes the concept of the multifunctional organisation to make sense of this paradox and to reorient organisational theory and practice toward a more realistic and functionally unbiased understanding of organisational complexity. Design/methodology/approach The article reframes organisations as multifunctional systems that selectively process the codes of multiple function systems. It builds on existing systems theory in the tradition of Niklas Luhmann, recent empirical studies, and applied frameworks to transfer this theoretical insight into practical management implications. Findings The multifunctional perspective reverses the prevailing analytical bias: instead of treating functional plurality as a special case, it proposes a multifunctional turn—one that assumes multifunctionality as the norm and recasts monofunctionality as a rare and revealing exception. This lens provides new tools for organisational profiling, stakeholder analysis, and environmental scanning across function systems, offering strategic and policy-relevant insights. Originality/value The article pioneers a new line of observation in organisation studies by systematically linking systems theory with practical diagnostics for leadership, organisation design, and strategy. It contributes to the decentring of political-economic bias in management models and invites researchers and practitioners to rethink the nature and function of organisations under conditions of societal complexity.

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