What is the name of the evolutionary stage in a company's development in which an organisation overcomes the burden of bureaucracy through the use of…

This question refers to Larry Greiner's model of organisational growth. The stage described is the 'collaboration evolution' (Phase 5). This phase directly follows the 'co-ordination' phase, which often culminates in a 'crisis of red tape' or excessive bureaucracy. To overcome this rigidity, the organisation moves into a collaborative phase, which is characterised by breaking down formal structures, fostering greater spontaneity in management action through teams and task forces, and using matrix structures to improve interpersonal communication and problem-solving across functional lines.

A. direction evolution: This is an earlier stage (Phase 2) where formal structures and direction are imposed to manage growth after the initial creative phase; it does not overcome bureaucracy.

C. co-ordination evolution: This stage (Phase 4) is responsible for creating the bureaucracy and 'red tape' through the implementation of formal systems, not overcoming it.

D. creative evolution: This is the first, entrepreneurial stage (Phase 1) of an organisation's life, characterised by informality and a lack of the bureaucratic structures mentioned.

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1. Greiner, L. E. (1998). Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 55–68. (Reprint of original 1972 article). In this seminal work, Greiner describes Phase 5, "Growth through Collaboration," as the solution to the "crisis of red tape" from Phase 4. He states, "The focus is on solving problems quickly through teams... Matrix-type structures are frequently used..." (p. 64).

2. Daft, R. L. (2020). Organization Theory & Design (13th ed.). Cengage Learning. In Chapter 9, "Organizational Size, Life Cycle, and Decline," Daft explains Greiner's model. He describes the transition from the Formalization Stage (Greiner's Coordination) with its crisis of "too much red tape" to the Collaboration Stage, which involves "overcoming the red tape crisis" through "teamwork," "interpersonal skills," and "matrix structures" (pp. 348-350).

3. Scott, M., & Bruce, R. (1987). Five stages of growth in small business. Long Range Planning, 20(3), 45-52. This article builds on Greiner's work, confirming that the stage following a crisis of bureaucracy involves a move towards more collaborative and less formal structures to regain flexibility. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-6301(87)90071-9).