Our Collective Tensions: Paradox Research Community’s Response to COVID-19

Keller, Joshua; Carmine, Simone; Jarzabkowski, Paula; Lewis, Marianne W.; Pradies, Camille; Sharma, Garima; Smith, Wendy K.; Vince, Russ

doi:10.1177/1056492620986859

Cited by 18 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Our first key contribution is to build on recent paradox research set in the Covid‐19 context (e.g. Carmine et al ., 2021; Keller et al ., 2021; Pradies et al ., 2021a; Sharma et al ., 2021), to propose the concept of societal paradox as a new macro‐environmental category of paradox. We characterize and describe dimensions of societal paradox, responding to recent calls for paradox research to be applied beyond the organizational level of analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We highlight that paradoxical tensions can themselves exist at societal level, and build upon the theoretical work published to date on Covid‐19 and paradox (e.g. Keller et al ., 2021; Pradies et al ., 2021a), to propose and describe societal paradox as a new macro‐environmental category of paradox. Second, our findings show that societal paradoxes do more than intensify pre‐existing, but latent, organizational paradoxical tensions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Surviving Covid‐19: The Role of Human Resource Managers in Shaping Organizational Responses to Societal Paradox

Branicki

Kalfa

Brammer

2021

British J of Management

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This study examines the role played by Australian human resource (HR) managers in shaping organizational responses to the Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of paradox theory. We argue that the Covid-19 crisis triggered a 'societal paradox' -protecting lives and the economy -that cascaded to organizations of all types. While studies suggest paradoxes cross levels of analysis, little is known regarding organizational responses to a societal paradox entailing interdependent and yet contradictory demands between socially significant objectives. We focus on HR managers because of their key role in providing Covid-19 advice and support. Using a combination of cross-sectional survey data (n = 680) and detailed semi-structured interviews (n = 43), we examine variations in HR managers' experience of, and responses to, organizational tensions generated by societal paradox. We find that HR managers play a key role in shaping whether organizational responses 'replicate' the initial societal paradox, or 'magnify' existing latent paradoxical tensions in the organization. We show how applying a societal lens adds insight to paradox theory, elucidate the HR-related mechanisms that underpin variations in organizational experiences/responses and produce an inductive model to guide future studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surviving Covid‐19: The Role of Human Resource Managers in Shaping Organizational Responses to Societal Paradox

Branicki

Kalfa

Brammer

2021

British J of Management

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“…, 2018). The global pandemic has increased the tension experienced by individuals in all aspects of their lives, including at work and at home (Keller et al. , 2021; Pradies et al.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Home, work or both? The role of paradox mindset in a remote work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nadiv

2021

IJM

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PurposeWhy did some individuals have relatively little trouble balancing work and home demands during the COVID-19 lockdown, while others felt overwhelmed? Although ample studies have recently been generated regarding COVID-19 employment challenges, this question has not yet received sufficient scholarly attention. This research integrates work–home conflict theories with the paradox-mindset framework, in order to suggest a new theoretical approach for understanding individual differences in addressing work–home conflict.Design/methodology/approachDuring the first two weeks of the COVID-19 epidemic in Israel, the author gathered 117 completed questionnaires from their colleagues in the Israeli higher-education system, who were working remotely and teaching online during the lockdown imposed to control the epidemic. Based on a path-model analysis, the author examined whether their experiences of strain and tension in the work domain might be indirectly and positively associated with workplace outcomes via positive associations between these experiences and paradox mindset, as well as negative associations between paradox mindset and work-to-home conflict (WTH) and home-to-work (HTW) conflict.FindingsThe study findings highlight the beneficial effect of paradox mindset on the experience of work–home conflict and its outcomes. Although working remotely has great potential to increase the strain and tension experienced by employees, applying a paradox mindset reduces the experience of work–home conflict and is positively associated with certain work outcomes.Originality/valueThis research integrates work–home conflict theories with the paradox-mindset framework. The beneficial effects of a paradox mindset on the experience of work–home conflict and its outcomes are highlighted.

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“…For instance, Lüscher and Lewis' ( 2008) action research study of managing paradox at the Lego Corporation reveals how working through paradoxes with managers could give rise to relevant insights both for managers and for organizational scholars. Interestingly, paradox scholars have not missed the insight that the COVID-19 pandemic has made many latent paradoxical tensions more salient than they were before (Keller et al, 2021). It has been argued that the COVID-19 pandemic is a "case of" the intensification of paradoxical tensions, notably concerning sustainability (Sharma et al, 2021), human resources management and work-life balance (Pradies et al, 2021).…”

Section: What Is "This" a Case Of? Process As Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is “This” a Case of? Generative Theorizing for Disruptive Times

Langley

2021

Journal of Management Inquiry

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In this essay, I examine how different strands of process theorizing might be applied to the phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering different answers to the question “What is ‘this’ a case of?” I further argue that the question “What is this a case of?” captures the spirit of intellectual curiosity that can bridge phenomena and theory, making phenomena understandable and theories meaningful for action. For me, this is what Organization and Management Theory, seen as both a discipline within the broader field of management and as a community of scholars is and should be fundamentally about.

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Our Collective Tensions: Paradox Research Community’s Response to COVID-19

Cited by 18 publications

References 20 publications

Surviving Covid‐19: The Role of Human Resource Managers in Shaping Organizational Responses to Societal Paradox

Surviving Covid‐19: The Role of Human Resource Managers in Shaping Organizational Responses to Societal Paradox

Home, work or both? The role of paradox mindset in a remote work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic

What Is “This” a Case of? Generative Theorizing for Disruptive Times

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