Managers’ and employees’ contradictory argumentations of spatial change

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 844-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaana Näsänen ◽  
Outi Vanharanta
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Change ◽  
Single Room ◽  
Beliefs And Values ◽  
Symbolic Meanings ◽  
Research Advance ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a qualitative study concerning managers’ and employees’ rhetorical evaluations of a spatial organizational change. Design/methodology/approach The approach of rhetorical social psychology is applied to study how the actors of an organization speak about a transformation from a single-room office setting to an open, multi-space office. The material consists of 36 interviews. Findings It was found that the responsible managers and employees used contradictory argumentation of what “real work” is like and what the change will result in as rhetorical resources when supporting and contesting the transformation. Although their set of arguments and counter-arguments drew from the same beliefs and values, they were used for opposite purposes. Practical implications The results of this research advance awareness of the multidimensional and contradictory nature of change rhetoric and this understanding can be utilized in supporting more effective change programs. For example, instead of constructing unnecessary polarizations between those who resist change and its supporters, the study facilitates to identify the ambiguity of argumentation related to change and the differing symbolic meanings subscribed to. Originality/value The study contributes to the organizational change literature by showing the ambiguity of change rhetoric and the contradictory nature of argumentation, both within the talk of specific employee groups and between groups.

Reframing organizational change from a processual perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Guiette ◽  
Koen Vandenbempt
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Change ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Development Professionals ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This article aims at reframing organizational change from a processual perspective to transcend the polarized tensions between planned and emergent approaches to change and to better align with the lived reality of practitioners. It informs the field of learning and development with fresh insights on how to broaden sensemaking repertoires of managers and employees in realizing organizational change. Design/methodology/approach To understand how change agents conceptualize organizational change at a conceptual level, this article relies on Heidegger’s three modes of being-in-the-world to identify three dominant conceptualizations of organizational change and subsequently theorizes on corresponding phenomenological qualities of sensemaking. Findings This article develops a theoretical scaffolding that posits the emergence of organizational change as dialectic process of three different conceptualizations of change, i.e. wayfinding logic, managerialistic logic and reflexive logic, that translate into three different phenomenological qualities of sensemaking, i.e. absorbed sensemaking, detached sensemaking and mindful sensemaking, respectively. Practical implications A processual reframing of organizational change informs learning and development scholars and practitioners in at least three ways: raising awareness of and probing underlying managerial assumptions of what change is and how change should be managed, training managers and employees to deal with sensemaking processes to effectively realize organizational change, and actively assist in developing a broader sensemaking repertoire to deal with the equivocality associated organizational change. Originality/value This processual reframing contributes to the sensemaking literature on organizational change by reframing change as a dialectic process of different underlying assumptions of change agents, and different qualities of sensemaking of change. It pinpoints to concrete actions that learning and development professionals can initiate to contribute to more effective change management practices.

Brand expansion through reverse socialization: an example of iPhone in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Ruoshui Jiao ◽  
Jack Wei
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Brands ◽  
Symbolic Meanings ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose One of the greatest challenges that global brands face as they expand into new markets and segments is overcoming social and cultural barriers that prevent them from being accepted by consumers. By drawing on theories of Mead’s prefigurative cultures, reverse socialization and symbolic interactionism, this paper aims to investigate the process of reverse socialization, the antecedents and its impact on parents’ attitude toward the reverse socialized brand. Design/methodology/approach Using in-depth interviewing method, data were collected from 20 Chinese consumers by capturing the accounts of both parents and their children involved in reverse socialization. The interpretive content analysis was used to study the data. Findings Reverse socialization exerts positive influence on brand attitude and facilitates parents’ adoption of the socialized brand. The brand has acquired additional symbolic meanings for Chinese consumers, which in turn enhances self-brand connections among them. Practical implications Managerial implications include strategies for cross-cultural marketers to maximize the acceptance of brands by elderly consumers through reverse socialization and efficiently expand the brands’ market into more segments. Originality/value As the first research of its kind (to the authors’ knowledge), the findings fill a gap in the marketing literature by demonstrating adult children’s influence on parents through reverse socialization.

How to build an inclusive workplace

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 34-37
Author(s):  
Anita Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Workplace Diversity ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Successful Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managing Diversity ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Describes the role of HR in creating an inclusive workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Explains how organizations can build an inclusive workplace that addresses the diverse needs of different employee groups. Findings – Shows that affirmative action is an important first step toward managing diversity, but successful management of diversity goes beyond merely complying with the letter of the law. Practical implications – Advances the view that scholarship programs for minority members, diversity scorecards, mentoring programs, language assistance, diversity councils and support from relevant stakeholders can go a long way in ensuring an inclusive work environment. Social implications – Argues that the effective management of diversity is a business and social imperative. Originality/value – Provides insights into how organizations can effectively manage workplace diversity.

Moves to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-43
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Firms that increase their emphasis on diversity and inclusion can generate positive perceptions and attitudes among employee groups that have been historically marginalized. Leaders play a significant role by consistently demonstrating fairness to all employees through formal practices and routine behaviors. Inclusion is determined more by the actions of co-workers who can help cultivate an environment where camaraderie and a sense of belongingness are the norm. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Religious expression in the workplace: why flexibility enhances its management

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 37-39
Author(s):  
Graham Cole
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Religious Expression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
History Books ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Few topics are more divisive than religion. You would have to search hard to find another issue with the same unrelenting ability to polarize views. History books provide ample testimony to that fact. It is therefore hardly surprising to find religious freedom to be a major challenge in the workplace. Determining how, when and in what circumstances workers should be permitted to engage in religious expression is a conundrum facing many organizations. Granting such a freedom needs to be balanced against the needs and rights of other employee groups. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Sociocultural brand revitalization

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 1521-1546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Närvänen ◽  
Christina Goulding
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Sociocultural Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Meaning ◽  
Consumer Markets ◽  
Symbolic Meanings ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to build a sociocultural perspective of brand revitalization. Maintaining brands and bringing them back to life in the market has received much less interest than their creation. Moreover, the existing literature is dominated by the marketing management paradigm where the company’s role is emphasized. This paper addresses the phenomenon of brand revitalization from a sociocultural perspective and examines the role of consumer collectives in the process. Design/methodology/approach Using a data-driven approach, the study builds on the case of a consumer brand of footwear that has risen to unprecedented popularity without traditional marketing campaigns. Data were generated using an inductive theory building approach utilizing multiple methods, including interviews, participant observation and cultural materials. Findings The paper presents a conceptual model of cultural brand revitalization that has four stages: sleeping brand, spontaneous appropriation, diffusion and convergence. Practical implications Implications for companies in consumer markets are discussed, suggesting ways to facilitate the process of sociocultural brand revitalization. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature first by offering a sociocultural brand revitalization scenario that highlights the interplay between the actions of consumers and the company, second, by examining the interaction between the symbolic meanings associated with the brand and the practices used by consumers and, third, by offering insights into the relevance of national identity in creating brand meaning.

The emotional dimensions of metaphors of change

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 794-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy K. Smollan
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Figures Of Speech ◽  
Emotional Dimensions ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – Participants in organizational change use metaphors in discourse as a means of sense making, since they provide insight into ways of thinking and feeling about organizational change that are not as easily or as graphically captured by more conventional language. Although change is often emotional the affective elements of metaphors of change have been under-studied. Thus the purpose of this paper is to examine the emotional content of metaphors that participants use to describe their experiences in various change contexts. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 24 people in different industries, organizations, functional departments and hierarchical levels were interviewed on their experiences of change and their affective reactions. Evidence was sought of the use of metaphors to portray emotional responses. Findings – Participants used many metaphors of which the most prevalent were those relating to the rollercoaster and grief cycle. Other categories emerged from the meanings that underlay the metaphors and revealed a spectrum of emotions experienced during change. Research limitations/implications – As figures of speech it is axiomatic that metaphors cannot be taken literally. Further research needs to discover what actors believe their metaphors mean and to take account of cultural differences. Practical implications – Exploring the emotional meanings embedded in metaphors used by change actors will enable managers to create effective messages and to understand others’ responses to change. Originality/value – Since most empirical articles on affective metaphors of change investigate single organizations or industries, this paper contributes to the literature by reporting on change experiences in different organizational contexts and by identifying categories of metaphorical expressions.

Apple was sweeter when Steve Jobs held sway

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
Maniam Kaliannan ◽  
Vanitha Ponnusamy
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Steve Jobs ◽  
Apple Products ◽  
The Right ◽  
Two Sides ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper observes that Apple illustrates the right and wrong ways to bring about organizational change, and emphasizes the key role of personalities in the process. Design/methodology/approach – Compares and contrasts the performance of Apple under the leadership of Steve Jobs and John Sculley. Findings – Advances the view that Steve Jobs was more successful because he focused on innovation, while John Sculley paid more attention to current products and profitability. Practical implications – Describes how the Steve Jobs era saw the introduction of such iconic Apple products as the iPod, iPhone and iPad, which helped the company to gain pre-eminence in its field. Social implications – Argues that, in today’s globalized business environment, organizational change is a must. Demonstrates how to achieve this successfully. Originality/value – Describes two sides of the Apple story and draws the lessons for other businesses involved in organizational change.

Reflections on constructing time in organizational change processes: a virtuous managerial interest

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 821-833
Author(s):  
Daniel Ericsson
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Change Processes ◽  
Specific Time ◽  
Organizational Changes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Critical Understanding ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to present a constructionist framework for reflection upon time in organizational change processes. The framework directs attention towards (1) institutionalized ideas on organizational change processes anchored in different theoretical epochs, (2) institutionalized norms and virtues that govern the development of specific time regimes in organizations and (3) subjective opportunistic expectations of the future.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is essayistic in character.FindingsThe paper explores how constructions of time might be biased by managerial leaders' opportunistic enactment of specific institutionalized ideas anchored in different theoretical epochs in order to comply with culturally embedded and mediated managerial virtues such as being fast and vigorous.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper opens up for a differentiated understanding of time in organizational change processes, and it pinpoints the assumptions that guide both theoretical discussions on time, as well as empirical studies.Practical implicationsThe framework proffers the reflective practitioner the opportunity to develop informed expectations on time in relation to organizational change processes.Social implicationsA nuanced and differentiated understanding of how time is construed in organizational change processes might reduce the social costs of underestimating the time organizational changes take – or exaggerating the belief in managerial leaders as sovereigns of time.Originality/valueThe paper contributes with a critical understanding of how time is construed in organizational change processes.

Discourse phronesis in organizational change: a narrative analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 769-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noora Jansson
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Public University ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Discursive Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Advance ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how discursive practices are involved in organizational change. Design/methodology/approach – This research scrutinizes organizational change by combining discourse and practice approaches. A case study at a public university hospital is conducted with a narrative analysis method. Findings – The key finding of this research is that discursive practices are involved in organizational change through discourse phronesis. Discourse phronesis is a socially and contextually developed phenomenon, and hence discursive practices are particular within context. The case study revealed four particular discursive practices as examples of discourse phronesis: field practices, mandate practices, priority practices and word practices. Practical implications – The results of this research advance awareness of the concealed power within discursive practices and, more importantly, invite practitioners to pursue the intellectual virtue of discourse phronesis while implementing organizational change. Discourse phronesis may be utilized as a gateway to advance change goals and to translate various discourses and actions that otherwise might remain unexplained. Originality/value – Although extensively studied, organizational change has not previously been directly approached through discourse phronesis, and by doing so this empirical research provides novelty value to both organizational change research and discourse analysis. By introducing the concept of discourse phronesis, this research offers scholars an alternative lens, the intellectual practicality lens, through which to approach organizational change and perhaps to develop new understandings of the great challenges that organizational change complexities usually generate.

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