How do paradoxical tensions become salient in organizations over time? Ambidexterity and paradox studies have, thus far, primarily focused on how tensions inside organizations are managed after they have been rendered salient for actors. Using a longitudinal, embedded case study of four strategic business units (SBUs) within a media organization, we theorize the role of the top management team (TMT) leader's practices in enabling tensions to become salient for their respective lower level managers when there are initial differences in how tensions are interpreted across levels. Our findings extend a dynamic equilibrium model of organizing by adding interpretive context as an enabling condition that shapes the emergence of salience through the provision of a constellation of cues that guide sensemaking. Informed by a practicebased perspective on paradox, we also contribute a conceptual model of leadership as practice, and outline the implications for ambidexterity studies. Keywords:Ambidexterity, interpretive context, innovation, leadership, paradox, practice, salience 2 Becoming Salient: The TMT Leader's Role in Shaping the Interpretive Context of Paradoxical TensionsOrganizations are rife with tensions, but some tensions are strategically more important than others (Cameron & Quinn, 1988;Poole & Van de Ven, 1989). In particular, paradoxical tensions represent demands that are contradictory but must be pursued interdependently to sustain longterm organizational performance (Lewis, 2000;Smith & Lewis, 2011). Although a growing number of studies have begun to unpack how actors respond to paradoxical tensions once they become aware of them (Andriopoulos & Lewis, 2009;Jarzabkowski et al., 2013), we still know relatively little about the early stages of how paradoxical tensions become salient in the first place.Such an examination is important for theoretical and practical reasons. Theoretically, identifying changes between the early and later stages in dealing with paradox can provide important clues about the nature and construction of paradox in organizations (Smith & Lewis, 2011). Practically, the timely and effective recognition of paradoxical tensions is important for managers who seek to drive improvements in organizational performance Smith, 2014). We know from prior work that actors are better placed to have an engaged response to paradox once they are made aware of the tension (Luscher & Lewis, 2008; Miron-Spektor et al., 2011). Yet, the existence of tension in the environment is not enough to automatically trigger action: tensions can remain latent and go unperceived or unnoticed by organizational actors for years (Dutton & Dukerich, 1991;Gilbert, 2005). Our paper focuses on this issue, and specifically the role of the TMT leader in making paradoxical tensions salient to others.Paradox theory adopts two underlying assumptions about the nature of paradox that are relevant in this regard . First, paradoxical tensions are inherent in organizational life and exist 'beyond the will or power of managem...

No abstract

Research Summary: Relying on ethnographic data from two consulting engagements, we find that strategists use three visual mechanisms (depiction, juxtaposition, and salience) to create PowerPoint slides. These visual mechanisms prompt meaning-making through the conversations they stimulate, creating strategic visibility. As participants react to visuals, they enact revised interpretations of the strategy, reflecting strategic resonance. Based on the interactions among these three subprocesses (visual mechanisms, strategic visibility, and strategic resonance), we develop a process model for how visuals influence meaning making in strategy engagements. We contribute to existing strategy practice and process studies by explaining how visuals help broker divergent interpretations of a strategy and give rise to new understandings, especially when issues are politically sensitive or analytically complex. Managerial Summary: The purpose of this study is to understand how strategists use visual information (specifically in PowerPoint slides), and its effects on the strategy process. We find that strategy conversations are influenced by the techniques strategists use to create slides, which in turn shape the kinds of follow-up actions taken. The implications are that: (a) PowerPoint slides can be designed to help tackle complex issues, for instance, when participants have divergent opinions or in politically sensitive situations, and (b) those who craft and edit PowerPoint slides strongly influence the direction of the strategy. The skillful use of PowerPoint is therefore crucial in allowing managers to shape the nature and speed of strategy engagements. K E Y W O R D SPowerPoint, strategy consulting, strategy as practice, strategy process, visual semiotics Received: 29 August 2015 Revised: 31 May 2017 Accepted: 16 August 2017 Published on: 23 January 2018 DOI: 10.1002DOI: 10. /smj.2727 This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. In retrospect, it was great that we found a name so distinctive…it suggested our goal of putting power into the hands of the individual content originator. The "Power" in "PowerPoint" was thought of, not as in "Powerful," but as in "Empowerment." Robert Gaskins, Inventor of PowerPoint. (Gaskins, 2012, p. 165) | INTRODUCTIONHow do strategists create visual representations of strategy, and why does visuality matter? Despite the ubiquity of visuality in the social accomplishment of strategy, visuals have been relegated largely to the background in theoretical accounts of strategy processes (Meyer, Höllerer, Jancsary, & Van Leeuwen, 2013). Although Mintzberg (1994, p. 240) once declared that strategy cannot be "tangible," since it consists of abstract concepts in the minds of people, a growing body of work-particularly in the strategy as practice area-is focused on examining the role and impact of materials used by strategy actors to achi...

Design thinking has emerged as an important way for designers to draw on rich customer insights to enhance their products and services. However, design thinking is now also beginning to influence how corporate managers bring customer data into their day-to-day strategic planning. We call this integration of design thinking into the practice of strategic management “Design-Led Strategy” and show how it complements but extends current design-thinking perspectives. Adopting a strategy-as-practice perspective, this article identifies four archetypal practices that managers can use to strategize with design-thinking content. Its findings provide insight into the practices associated with situating design thinking within organizational practice.

Please refer to published version for the most recent bibliographic citation information. If a published version is known of, the repository item page linked to above, will contain details on accessing it.