Eigenzeit: A New Lens on Temporal Complexity. (Blagoev & Schreyögg, 2024)

Welcome to Revise and Resubmit. Eigenzeit is a German word that roughly translates to "own time" or "proper time". Imagine a world where time doesn’t follow the simple tick-tock of a clock, but instead dances to the rhythm of many beats—some slow, some fast, some unpredictable. For years, scholars have acknowledged that organizations face complex time pressures, yet the conversation has been largely black-and-white, focused on just two conflicting demands. But what if there’s more to the story? Blagoy Blagoev and Georg Schreyögg introduce the concept of Eigenzeit, a unique organizational approach to time. They argue that companies don't just balance between two temporal tensions—they carve out their own time amidst the chaos. Through their groundbreaking theory, they reveal four distinct ways organizations can navigate these tangled webs of time: entrained, ambitemporal, agile, and pluritemporal. They say that solving massive challenges like climate change requires shifting to more advanced modes of Eigenzeit. But here's the catch: making that shift isn't easy. So, how do organizations learn to master their own rhythm? And can they really bend time to solve the world's greatest problems? Let’s dive in. Reference Blagoev, B., & Schreyögg, G. (2024). Eigenzeit: A New Lens on Temporal Complexity. Academy of Management Review. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2022.0440