Weick, The collapse of sensemaking in organizations, 1993

Question 1

Core message:

Answer 1

unfolding of a cosmology episode and how to avoid it.

Question 2

Cosmology episode:

Answer 2

“cosmology episode occurs when people suddenly and deeply feel that the universe is no longer a rational, orderly system. What makes such an episode so shattering is that both the sense of what is occurring and the means to rebuild that sense collapse together”.
Example: corona virus.

Question 3

Sensemaking:

Answer 3

“reality is an ongoing accomplishment that emerges from efforts to create order and make retrospective sense of what occurs”
Sensemaking is basically helping us understand our world and our experiences and construct the reality we live in.
… “people try to make things rationally accountable to themselves and others” -> post-rationalisation!

Question 4

Link between sensemaking and decision making:

Answer 4

“The world of decision making is about strategic rationality. It is built from clear questions and clear answers that attempt to remove ignorance. The world of sensemaking is different. Sensemaking is about contextual rationality. It built out of vague questions, muddy answers, and negotiated agreements that attempt to reduce confusion”.

Question 5

Contextual rationality:

Answer 5

actions that match and reinforce organization’s expression of right behaviour and good life

Question 6

Managerial implications:

Answer 6

From vulnerability to resilience:

Organizational structures for resilience:

Question 7

Four sources of resilience in organizations.

Answer 7

Improvisation and Bricolage

Virtual Role Systems

Attitude of Wisdom

Respectful interaction

Question 8

Third type of resilience: Attitude of Wisdom

Answer 8

Problem:

• Knowledge and ignorance grow together.
• The more we know, the more uncertainties, complexities, questions etc.

Approach:

• The organization needs to value wisdom.
• Wisdom is not specialized knowledge, but an attitude without excessive knowledge and excessive cautioness.
• Curiousness and open-mindedness.

Question 9

Hvad tager artiklen udgangspunkt i?

Answer 9

Mann Gulch-skovbrænden i 1949.

Denne artikel handler om hvordan 13 smokejumpers døde i forsøget på at slukke en stor skovbrand, da 13 ud af 16 mænd panikkede og løb væk fra den gruppe som de var ankommet i, i stedet for at stå sammen.