The structuration of managing for results : a practice perspective on middle managers in the Dutch central government

The Hegelian inquiring system and a critical triangulation tool for the Internet information slave: A design science study

“…This is enabled and constrained by several institutional structures. Structuration theory provides an explanation of the duality of such structures and actions in social settings, by which a structure can both constrain and enable actions (Ehrenhard, ; Giddens, ). Giddens identifies three types of structures: signification, domination, and legitimation.…”

How practice breakdowns disclose existing structures and contribute to practice innovation

“…"Interpretivistfunctionalist Transition Zone" (Gioia & Pitre, 1990:592), omdat we structuur net zo goed willen begrijpen als verandering van structuren door actoren (o.a. Barley, 1986;Ehrenhard, 2009;Giddens, 1979;Ranson et al, 1980). Het ene perspectief bouwt wat meer voort op het functionalisme en het andere op het interpretivisme.…”

“…Given our central interest in both structure and process -and thus -in regularity and change, we positioned the chapters in a zone between a functionalist and the interpretivist paradigm. This so-called "Interpretivistfunctionalist Transition Zone" (Gioia & Pitre, 1990:592) bridges the idea that one can think of social structures as objective but that are also subject to re-structuring and thus change as a result of human action (e.g., Barley, 1986;Ehrenhard, 2009;Giddens, 1979;Ranson, Hinings, & Greenwood, 1980). By taking advantage of this blurred transition line, it is possible to focus on the connections between established structures and human action, and thus represent structure versus process.…”

“…Structure can be found in the habitual component of agency, and process dimensions in its practical evaluative dimensions; that is, when actors de-contextualize past habits, re-imagine the future in the face of present contingencies. In this regard, Ehrenhard (2009), using a practice driven approach, show how managers responsible for the transformation of a Dutch governmental organization towards a more effective one, overcome past oriented -and change inhibiting-institutionalized responses by shifting the focus to the present in relation to future goals. It was found that particular mindfulness and bricolage are considered important aspects for implementing change.…”