Colruyt: an organization committed to communication

The perception that organizations are developing very different organizational structures from those identified by Mintzberg (1979) has been steadily gaining ground. For example, the Colruyt Company has been developing a new organizational form since its start-up in 1965, which was distinctly different from any of the five basic forms identified by Mintzberg (1970) a decade later This article shows how the Colruyt Company differs from its counterparts in terms of corporate core beliefs and values, employee involvement, managerial strategy and the application of information technology. The outcome of our research will be of value to other companies that desire to pursue innovative approaches similar to those followed by the Colruyt Company.