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...