Narratives as sensemaking accounts: the case of an R&D laboratory

Abstract

Purpose -While conventional wisdom suggests that sensemaking is targeted towards consensual understanding of the organization's intent and action, the objective of this study is to explore a different angle of sensemaking, namely, a situation of change and crisis in which the sensemaking process focuses on presenting the organization's members with an alternative understanding of its worldview, norms, and values. Design/methodology/approach -The paper is based on a three-year ethnographic field study. Data collection was based on the principles of qualitative research: participant observation, induction, interpretation, close proximity and unmediated relationships with the subjects investigated. The ethnographic method enabled collection of rich data, mainly by viewing the organizational context from its members' perspective, essential for studying. Findings -The paper presents multiple cultural sensemaking accounts and the varied ways that the subjects use their diverse cultural resources and repertoires -ranging from intense ideological commitment to pure science to opportunistic views of their scientific work -in promoting their own, as well as their organization's survival. The study indicates that variations of conflict-oriented sensemaking accounts can serve management's strategic quest for hegemony. Research limitations/implications -Qualitative research approaches position the researcher to learn through participative observation. The researcher acts as a participant in the activities under study and instead of attempting to control procedures and measure qualities of outcomes, the researcher becomes part of the target of study itself. Practical implications -This paper shows that conflict and power relations are ubiquitous to sensemaking, and that multiple accounts can be inherent in sensemaking work. We suggest that the study of sensemaking should also consider conflict as an alternative sensemaking mechanism. Originality/value -Sensemaking is usually described as positive and consensual in nature. Yet, as our study shows, when evolving from conflicting viewpoints, accounts and actions sensemaking can support dissension.

The recontextualization of commercialization: the shifting discourse of an R&D unit

“…A schism between older, senior scientists and younger, junior scientists and technicians has also been observed by Landau and Drori (2008). In their study of R&D professionals, they noted that a number of employees were critical of ''old guard scientists'' who they described as ''.…”

“…Although scientists at Oil Co appeared to have become somewhat resigned to the erosion of their professional power, some scientists in other R&D contexts have managed to maintain a considerable amount of control over their. For instance, in their study of R&D professionals in the Defense Sector in Israel, Landau and Drori (2008) observed that: ''Creativity and freedom were strongly emphasized, with the general atmosphere allowing scientists to do as they pleased, with an almost total absence of deadlines'' (p. 707). These contrasting positions perhaps reflect a difference in sector (i.e.…”

“…Arguably, the only significant discursive work in the area of R&D has been provided in the recent work of Landau and Drori (2008). Their three year ethnographic study of an R&D laboratory offers some rich insights into the sense-making narratives used by employees in order to understand, and cope with, processes of institutional change and shifting professional responsibilities.…”

Managerial narratives: a critical dialogical approach to managerial identity

“…While there is a great deal of work that has engaged qualitative methods in studying managers' narratives and/or which has adopted a narrative analytical approach to understanding management and organizations, there is relatively little that has used data acquired through extended written narratives of managers (Down and Reveley, 2009;Fronda and Moriceau, 2008;Landau and Drori, 2008;Letiche et al, 2008;Vickers, 2008;Watson, 2009). Indeed, in a literature search for this paper the author found no references for any study that had collected written narratives from practicing managers.…”

The Insider Perspective: Three Emic Studies About Sensemaking and Organizational Change Over Time

“…46 process studies, 1 process/variance combination study and 3 variance studies) varies with respect to their samples. A broad range of organizations are represented including education institutions (Brown & Humphreys, 2003;Gioia et al, 1994;Gioia & Chittipeddi, 1991;Gioia & Thomas, 1996;Kezar, 2013), financial institutions (Chreim, 2006;Heracleous & Barrett, 2001;Isabella, 1990), consulting firms (Greenberg, 1995), government departments (Weber & Manning, 2001) and committees (Abolafia, 2010), healthcare organizations (Bartunek et al, 2006;Dutton et al, 2001;Riesenmy, 2010), insurance companies (Hope, 2010), a private defense laboratory (Landau & Drori, 2008), an engineering firm (Teulier & Rouleau, 2013), a clothing manufacturer (Rouleau, 2005), retailers (Sonenshein, 2009, 2010010) and even a toy manufacturer (Luscher & Lewis, 2008). The extant research on sensemaking about change has explored this phenomenon in both public and private sector organizations, including a number of organizations from the healthcare sector.…”