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Organizational Dischronization: On Meaning and Meaninglessness, Sensemaking and Nonsensemaking

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  • Mats Alvesson
  • Anna Jonsson

Abstract

This paper contributes to close up studies of how members in organizations experience and act in relationship to what is broadly and vaguely referred to as institutionalized structures and practices. Based on a case study about scorecards, a quality control system, it is illustrated that this practice works poorly, because of inconsistent ideas of purpose and functioning. We introduce the concept of organizational dischronization (OD) to illuminate this. OD indicates a deviation from the ideal of shared or synchronized meanings, and the existence of diverging understandings and lack of clarification of this, in an organization. The paper challenges some core ideas of institutional theory (logics) and sensemaking, suggesting the use of counter concepts such is organizational illogics and nonsensemaking, thus opening up for a broader and less ‘smooth’ understanding of how institutions and sensemaking work than assumed in the literature.

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  • Mats Alvesson & Anna Jonsson, 2022. "Organizational Dischronization: On Meaning and Meaninglessness, Sensemaking and Nonsensemaking," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 724-754, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:59:y:2022:i:3:p:724-754
    DOI: 10.1111/joms.12790
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dennis A. Gioia & Kumar Chittipeddi, 1991. "Sensemaking and sensegiving in strategic change initiation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(6), pages 433-448, September.
    2. Eva Boxenbaum & Stefan Jonsson, 2017. "Isomorphism, diffusion and decoupling: Concept evolution and theoretical challenges," Post-Print hal-01488051, HAL.
    3. Alvesson, Mats & Sveningsson, Stefan, 2011. "Management is the solution: Now what was the problem? On the fragile basis for managerialism," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 349-361.
    4. Mats Alvesson & André Spicer, 2012. "A Stupidity-Based Theory of Organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7), pages 1194-1220, November.
    5. Joep P. Cornelissen, 2017. "Preserving Theoretical Divergence in Management Research: Why the Explanatory Potential of Qualitative Research Should Be Harnessed Rather than Suppressed," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 368-383, May.
    6. Power, Michael K., 2003. "Auditing and the production of legitimacy," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 379-394, May.
    7. Debra Meyerson & Joanne Martin, 1987. "Cultural Change: An Integration Of Three Different Views[1]," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 623-647, November.
    8. Karl E. Weick, 1988. "Enacted Sensemaking In Crisis Situations[1]," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 305-317, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sambo Lyson Zulu & Ali M. Saad, 2023. "A Sensemaking Perspective of Digitalisation in Construction Organisations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, January.

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