TY - JOUR

T1 - Sensing the room

T2 - The role of atmosphere in collective sensemaking

AU - Knight, Eric

AU - Lok, Jaco

AU - Jarzabkowski, Paula

AU - Wenzel, Matthias

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Drawing on video recordings, interviews, and first-hand observations of a strategic project team at an electronic bank, we explore the role of atmosphere in collective sensemaking. By analyzing collective entanglements of bodily tonality and interaction, we show how distinctive atmospheres in strategy-making workshops are closely associated with different sensemaking styles that shape not only how but also what sense is constructed. Our findings show that in group settings, participants’ immanent sensing of atmospheric dynamics serves as an affective and affecting background that enables and constrains collective sensemaking in relation to an issue. We also find that atmosphere can shift as dissonant moments accumulate and reach an atmospheric tipping point that enables a change in the group’s sensemaking style. These dissonant moments manifest as subtle changes in one or more participants’ bodily orientation, speech content, or vocal characteristics. The concept of atmosphere enables us to extend emotions research in sensemaking and strategic management by offering a better understanding of the role of embodied affect in collective sensemaking beyond individually felt corporeal experience.

AB - Drawing on video recordings, interviews, and first-hand observations of a strategic project team at an electronic bank, we explore the role of atmosphere in collective sensemaking. By analyzing collective entanglements of bodily tonality and interaction, we show how distinctive atmospheres in strategy-making workshops are closely associated with different sensemaking styles that shape not only how but also what sense is constructed. Our findings show that in group settings, participants’ immanent sensing of atmospheric dynamics serves as an affective and affecting background that enables and constrains collective sensemaking in relation to an issue. We also find that atmosphere can shift as dissonant moments accumulate and reach an atmospheric tipping point that enables a change in the group’s sensemaking style. These dissonant moments manifest as subtle changes in one or more participants’ bodily orientation, speech content, or vocal characteristics. The concept of atmosphere enables us to extend emotions research in sensemaking and strategic management by offering a better understanding of the role of embodied affect in collective sensemaking beyond individually felt corporeal experience.

M3 - Journal articles

JO - Academy of Management Journal

JF - Academy of Management Journal

SN - 0001-4273

ER -