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Sensemaking, sense-censoring and strategic inaction: the discursive enactment of power and politics in a multinational corporation

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Sensemaking, sense-censoring and strategic inaction: the discursive enactment of power and politics in a multinational corporation. / Whittle, Andrea; Mueller, Frank; Gilchrist, Alan John Patterson et al.
In: Organization Studies, Vol. 37, No. 9, 09.2016, p. 1323-1351.

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Whittle A, Mueller F, Gilchrist AJP, Lenney PW. Sensemaking, sense-censoring and strategic inaction: the discursive enactment of power and politics in a multinational corporation. Organization Studies. 2016 Sept;37(9):1323-1351. Epub 2016 Mar 25. doi: 10.1177/0170840616634127

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@article{e391f303e9f042a1abe36aa1c5a73996,
title = "Sensemaking, sense-censoring and strategic inaction: the discursive enactment of power and politics in a multinational corporation",
abstract = "In this paper we contribute to knowledge of power and politics in international business by developing the understanding of the role of discourse and sensemaking in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship. Based on an ethnographic action research study in a British subsidiary of an American multinational corporation, we conduct an ethnomethodologically informed discourse analysis of the accounts, stories and metaphors through which power and politics in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship were created as social facts. We then broaden the analytic frame to trace longitudinally how these facts led the subsidiary managers to hide, dilute or restrict their {\textquoteleft}local sense{\textquoteright} from the headquarters, including their knowledge of the local market and their preferred strategic direction for the firm: a process we term sense-censoring. We reveal how the subsidiary used power and politics as reasoning procedures to decide against pursuing a preferred course of action, despite a strongly held belief to the contrary, due to anticipated reactions or counter-actions, thereby transforming potential strategic action into inaction. Sense-censoring is significant for international business management, we propose, because it impacts upon knowledge flows, innovation diffusion and organizational learning. We conclude by outlining the implications of systems of sense-censoring and strategic inaction for the management of global–local relations in multinational corporations.",
keywords = "communicative constitution of organizations (CCO), discourse theory, domination , ethnography, ethnomethodology, framing , power, resistance , sensemaking theory, social constructionism",
author = "Andrea Whittle and Frank Mueller and Gilchrist, {Alan John Patterson} and Lenney, {Peter William}",
year = "2016",
month = sep,
doi = "10.1177/0170840616634127",
language = "English",
volume = "37",
pages = "1323--1351",
journal = "Organization Studies",
issn = "0170-8406",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
number = "9",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sensemaking, sense-censoring and strategic inaction

T2 - the discursive enactment of power and politics in a multinational corporation

AU - Whittle, Andrea

AU - Mueller, Frank

AU - Gilchrist, Alan John Patterson

AU - Lenney, Peter William

PY - 2016/9

Y1 - 2016/9

N2 - In this paper we contribute to knowledge of power and politics in international business by developing the understanding of the role of discourse and sensemaking in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship. Based on an ethnographic action research study in a British subsidiary of an American multinational corporation, we conduct an ethnomethodologically informed discourse analysis of the accounts, stories and metaphors through which power and politics in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship were created as social facts. We then broaden the analytic frame to trace longitudinally how these facts led the subsidiary managers to hide, dilute or restrict their ‘local sense’ from the headquarters, including their knowledge of the local market and their preferred strategic direction for the firm: a process we term sense-censoring. We reveal how the subsidiary used power and politics as reasoning procedures to decide against pursuing a preferred course of action, despite a strongly held belief to the contrary, due to anticipated reactions or counter-actions, thereby transforming potential strategic action into inaction. Sense-censoring is significant for international business management, we propose, because it impacts upon knowledge flows, innovation diffusion and organizational learning. We conclude by outlining the implications of systems of sense-censoring and strategic inaction for the management of global–local relations in multinational corporations.

AB - In this paper we contribute to knowledge of power and politics in international business by developing the understanding of the role of discourse and sensemaking in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship. Based on an ethnographic action research study in a British subsidiary of an American multinational corporation, we conduct an ethnomethodologically informed discourse analysis of the accounts, stories and metaphors through which power and politics in the subsidiary–headquarters relationship were created as social facts. We then broaden the analytic frame to trace longitudinally how these facts led the subsidiary managers to hide, dilute or restrict their ‘local sense’ from the headquarters, including their knowledge of the local market and their preferred strategic direction for the firm: a process we term sense-censoring. We reveal how the subsidiary used power and politics as reasoning procedures to decide against pursuing a preferred course of action, despite a strongly held belief to the contrary, due to anticipated reactions or counter-actions, thereby transforming potential strategic action into inaction. Sense-censoring is significant for international business management, we propose, because it impacts upon knowledge flows, innovation diffusion and organizational learning. We conclude by outlining the implications of systems of sense-censoring and strategic inaction for the management of global–local relations in multinational corporations.

KW - communicative constitution of organizations (CCO)

KW - discourse theory

KW - domination

KW - ethnography

KW - ethnomethodology

KW - framing

KW - power

KW - resistance

KW - sensemaking theory

KW - social constructionism

U2 - 10.1177/0170840616634127

DO - 10.1177/0170840616634127

M3 - Journal article

VL - 37

SP - 1323

EP - 1351

JO - Organization Studies

JF - Organization Studies

SN - 0170-8406

IS - 9

ER -