Chapter 1: A Historical Perspective on Revolutions in Work and Organization Design, and Expectations for the Future

This chapter aims to speculate on the future of work and organization design by reviewing the history of design endeavors in organizations, starting from the scientific management school of thought. The studies on design of work and organizations, following the classical scientific management approach, are chronologically classified into contingency approach and configuration approach. Design studies at both the individual and group levels are highlighted through Job Characteristics Model, job crafting, Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, and team-based structures. The chapter also examines the main forces on design of work and organizations (globalization, sustainability, digitalization, and artificial intelligence (AI)) by analyzing their impacts on certain notions and structures. The future of design is discussed through a study with two scenarios generated by AI, and by pointing out the key themes for future design: adaptability, flexibility, and fluidity.