Chapter 9 - Symbolic In-depth Flashcards
What two behavioural models can mental and physical sensemaking be related to?
- Behavioral psychology model: individuals react to stimuli and responds with actions.
- Cognitive psychology model: actions depend on how individuals’ cognitive maps filter/interpret the stimuli.
What are Weick’s seven properties of sensemaking?
- based on identity
- is retrospective
- is enacting
- is social
- is constantly ongoing
- is based on cues
- strives for plausibility over accuracy/precision
Describe sensemaking based on identity.
Identity is a fundamental part of sensemaking; without a meaningful identity, you can’t create a meaningful world. Sensemaking also includes creating the identity (perception of oneself). The perception is always subjective since reflections are in a perspective with the certain interest at the time being. We strive to maintain a previously created identity.
Describe “sensemaking is retrospective”.
Sensemaking is always retrospective, no matter if we consider a past, present or future situation. We can never be fully aware of what we do right when we do it. For it to be a situation to reflect upon, we first need to construct that situation.
Describe “sensemaking is enacting”.
Sensemaking is neither reactive or proactive. It does not imply a selection, filtering and interpretation of external stimuli, but is a creative and enacting process that creates identities, stimuli and actions.
Describe “sensemaking is social”.
Sensemaking processes always involve several people; can be both direct and indirect interaction. Identity and self-image you create is associated with how you relate to others. Internal dialogues constitute a kind of social interaction between partly different identities.
Describe “sensemaking is constantly ongoing”.
Only noticed in some situations. Do not reflect on whether we are rational or if we understand each other in communication. Yet we make great efforts to maintain our sensible identities, by saying we are joking if we face strong contradictions.
Describe “sensemaking is based on cues”.
Sensemaking is shaped by small hints/cues. We are able to create a stimuli to react to (snake/bike tube). Sensemaking fills in the gaps of meaningless visions or structures, and create meaningful impressions and actions.
Describe “sensemaking strives for plausibility over accuracy and precision”.
Since we can never be sure of anything, striving for exact impressions will prevent us from creating a meaningful common world. Information overload can lead to paralysis (Brunsson), so we should only try to create a meaningful understanding of the situation.
In what ways can the fact that sensemaking describes humans as largely social and organised apply to organisational theory?
- The management is associated with people’s identities. Provide sufficient tasks for people’s identities and try to shape them since they are never completely stable.
- Everything a company does can be included in individuals sensemaking, for example descriptions that affect -> sense-giving
- Identity creation is an important part of symbolic leadership, manipulation and motivation. By having a “humane” side project, it can affect people so that they see the whole company as better.
What is the basic idea of Weick’s pulsating organisational model?
There is a constant movement between a more flexible/innovative organization, and a more static/stable/efficient organization.
Why does organisations pulsate between different states according to Weick’s pulsating organisational model?
When groups work together they gradually develop a certain degree of work division and specialisation. The more it develops, the less is the need for interaction between team members. In stable environments the sensemaking process creates similar situations to those in the past, this is unproblematic. The members become increasingly abstract and generic for (and removed from) each other. As this develops further, there will be increasingly different opinions and identities, that can lead the group to split or become fragmented. If they don’t split up, the cycle begins again with members starting to interact with each other, and as they get closer again there is more intersubjectivity. The organization can be said to shift between ideal structural and HR, and leadership should do accordingly. Organizations are always changing because of their internal dynamics.
Explain why organisations don’t exist, but are made (Weick).
They are not stable delimited objects, but meaning and organising processes constantly take place to enact and reconstruct organisations. If members, stakeholders, or formal structures cease to interact, the organization would cease to exist.
How does Scott’s neo-institutional organisational theory explain that organisations are similar to each other?
They are exposed to the same cultural expectations; the same institutional pressure. The technical pressure in the environment points to efficient processes within operations. Organizations need to adapt to the institutional environment to create legitimacy, which enables them to attract resources. Organisational must deal with both institutional and technical environments, which aligns with Brunsson’s organizaitional hypocrisy.
What are the three typical types of institutional isomorphism?
- Coercive isomorphism. Occurs when organisations respond to external demands on a particular type of organization, for example banking standards.
- Mimetic isomorphism. Companies imitate each other, by benchmarking and taking after.
- Normative isomorphism. People with similar education/experience bring these to various organisations (consultancy firms).
