Representation, frames and the dynamics of routines: rethinking routines as artifacts

In this chapter we argue that a Simonian perspective on the origin, emergence and evolution of organizational routines remains underdeveloped and could offer valuable insights. Routines are artifacts, in the Simonian sense, and share properties of other natural and artificial complex artifacts. We discuss the main features of this perspective and show that it helps clarify what routines are and how they can be formally represented and observed in both actual organizations and laboratory experiments.