Summoning the spirits: Organizational texts and the (dis)ordering properties of communication
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In: Human Relations , Vol. 69, No. 3, 01.03.2016, p. 629-659.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Summoning the spirits
T2 - Organizational texts and the (dis)ordering properties of communication
AU - Vásquez, Consuelo
AU - Schoeneborn, Dennis
AU - Sergi, Viviane
PY - 2016/3/1
Y1 - 2016/3/1
N2 - This article addresses the question: why does disorder tend to simultaneously accompany efforts to create order when organizing? Adopting a communication-centered perspective, we specifically examine the role of texts in the mutual constitution of order and disorder. Drawing on empirical material from three qualitative case studies on project organizing, we show that attempts of ordering through language use and texts (i.e. by closing and fixing meaning) tend to induce disordering (i.e. by opening the possibility of multiple meanings), at the same time. As we contend, these (dis)ordering dynamics play a key role in the communicative constitution of organization, keeping them in motion by calling forth continuous processes of meaning (re-)negotiation.
AB - This article addresses the question: why does disorder tend to simultaneously accompany efforts to create order when organizing? Adopting a communication-centered perspective, we specifically examine the role of texts in the mutual constitution of order and disorder. Drawing on empirical material from three qualitative case studies on project organizing, we show that attempts of ordering through language use and texts (i.e. by closing and fixing meaning) tend to induce disordering (i.e. by opening the possibility of multiple meanings), at the same time. As we contend, these (dis)ordering dynamics play a key role in the communicative constitution of organization, keeping them in motion by calling forth continuous processes of meaning (re-)negotiation.
KW - Management studies
KW - communicative constitution of organization
KW - cross-case analysis
KW - disordering
KW - order and disorder
KW - organization theory
KW - organizational texts
KW - project organizing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84959156976&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/cd149f5d-8731-3416-8c2f-6ae242b3506b/
U2 - 10.1177/0018726715589422
DO - 10.1177/0018726715589422
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:84959156976
VL - 69
SP - 629
EP - 659
JO - Human Relations
JF - Human Relations
SN - 0018-7267
IS - 3
ER -