| Learning, Ambiguity, and the Myths of Management |
| | Denrell, Jerker C. | Institute of International Business | iibjd@hhs.se | +46-8-736-9504 |
| | Much of recent organization theory is based on an evolutionary model in which organizational behavior is seen as the result of historical experience. Organizations are seen as repeating past actions that appear successful and changing actions that appear unsuccessful. Although such learning can be effective it is complicated by the experimental designs generated by ordinary life. This paper makes use of the literature on research designs to examine the implications of such deficiencies in the experimental designs of the intuitive management scientist. Two methodological complications are examined. The first is under-sampling of failure. The second is endogeneity. Computer simulations are used to demonstrate when and how these methodological complications will give rise to systematically biased inferences. These biases, it is argued, can explain why certain managerial theories are popular among laymen. Specifically, I argue that that the experimental designs generated by ordinary life will produce compelling but potentially misleading evidence in favor of theories emphasizing the importance of leadership, power, organizational culture, and strategic focus. Several hypotheses regarding the cross-sectional and longitudinal distribution of such theories are suggested. |
| | Keywords: Organizational Learning; Management Fashions; Risk Taking |
| Nonsensemaking in Organizations: An Exploratory Theoretical Framework |
| | Maitlis, Sally | U. of Sheffield | s.maitlis@sheffield.ac.uk | 44-114-2223259 |
| | Lawrence, Thomas B. | U. of Victoria | tlawrenc@business.uvic.ca | 250-7216401 |
| | In this paper, we develop the concept of organizational nonsensemaking. Although nonsensemaking can usefully be thought of in contrast to sensemaking, it is not about failing to make sense of something. Nonsensemaking is concerned with the making of nonsense – like sensemaking, it is a creative, social process but with distinctly different results and implications. Although a significant amount of attention has been paid to sensemaking in organizations, nonsensemaking has been the subject of almost no empirical or theoretical examination. This paper is about making sense of nonsensemaking – we examine its primary characteristics, discuss when and why it happens, and draw conclusions regarding the implications of nonsensemaking for research and practice. |
| | Keywords: sensemaking; nonsense; organization |
| Improvisation: A theoretical model of its dimensions, antecedents, outcomes, and moderating variables |
| | Vera, Dusya M. | U. of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business | dvera@ivey.uwo.ca | (519)-672-7148 |
| | Crossan, Mary M. | U. of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business | mcrossan@ivey.uwo.ca | 519-661-3217 |
| | This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical framework of the dimensions of the improvisation construct, its antecedents, performance outcomes, and variables that moderate the relationship between the incidence of improvisation and performance outcomes. Propositions describing the relationships are presented and directions for future research are discussed. |
| | Keywords: Improvisation; Performance; Innovation |