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The Interplay of Reflective and Experimental Spaces in Interrupting and Reorienting Routine Dynamics

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  • Silke Bucher

    (HEC Montréal, Montréal (QC), H3T 2A7, Canada)

  • Ann Langley

    (HEC Montréal, Montréal (QC), H3T 2A7, Canada)

Abstract

When organization members strive to radically change routines, they face a puzzle: How can they bring about change in performances when these are guided by pre-existing ideas on how to perform the routine, that are themselves recursively reproduced? Drawing on insights from longitudinal case studies of two initiatives to change patient processes in hospitals, this paper suggests that two types of “spaces”—bounded social settings characterized by social, physical, temporal, and symbolic boundaries—are important mechanisms through which actors engage in deliberate efforts to alter both performances (performative aspect) and abstract understandings (ostensive aspect) of a given routine. Specifically, whereas reflective spaces are set apart by social, physical, and temporal boundaries and involve interactions that are geared toward developing novel conceptualizations of a routine, experimental spaces enable the integration of new actions into routine performances by locating them within the original routine, while establishing symbolic and temporal boundaries that signal the provisional and localized nature of experimental performances. As both types of spaces contribute to achieving change in complementary ways, they need to be enacted iteratively in relation to each other. The study offers a model of intentional routine change that articulates the role of spaces in interrupting and reorienting their recursive dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Silke Bucher & Ann Langley, 2016. "The Interplay of Reflective and Experimental Spaces in Interrupting and Reorienting Routine Dynamics," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 594-613, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:27:y:2016:i:3:p:594-613
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2015.1041
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    Cited by:

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    3. Aura Parmentier-Cajaiba & Nathalie Lazaric & Giovany Cajaiba-Santana, 2021. "The effortful process of routines emergence: the interplay of entrepreneurial actions and artefacts," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 33-63, January.
    4. April L. Wright & Gemma Irving & Asma Zafar & Trish Reay, 2023. "The Role of Space and Place in Organizational and Institutional Change: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 991-1026, June.
    5. Zec, Dejan & Rüling, Charles-Clemens & Wang, Tao, 2020. "Parliament in action: Drug withdrawals and policy changes in the U.K," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(9), pages 984-990.
    6. Nathalie Lazaric, 2021. "Cognition and Routine Dynamics," Post-Print halshs-03402421, HAL.
    7. Neva Bojovic & Valérie Sabatier & Emmanuel Coblence, 2019. "Becoming Through Doing: How Experimental Spaces Enable Organizational Identity Work," Post-Print halshs-02376220, HAL.
    8. Weinfurtner, Tania & Seidl, David, 2019. "Towards a spatial perspective: An integrative review of research on organisational space," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).
    9. Martha S. Feldman & Brian T. Pentland & Luciana D’Adderio & Nathalie Lazaric, 2016. "Beyond Routines as Things: Introduction to the Special Issue on Routine Dynamics," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 505-513, June.
    10. Yang, Yumei & Secchi, Davide & Homberg, Fabian, 2018. "Are organisational defensive routines harmful to the relationship between personality and organisational learning?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 155-164.
    11. Neva Bojovic & Valérie Sabatier & Emmanuel Coblence, 2019. "Becoming Through Doing: How Experimental Spaces Enable Organizational Identity Work," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) halshs-02376220, HAL.
    12. Manisaligil, Alperen & Gölgeci, İsmail & Bakker, Arnold B. & Faruk Aysan, Ahmet & Babacan, Mehmet & Gür, Nurullah, 2023. "Understanding change in disruptive contexts: The role of the time paradox and locus of control," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    13. Claire Bernard-Mongin & Jimmy Balouzat & Elise Chau & Alice Garnier & Stéphanie Lequin & François Lerin & Ahmet Veliji, 2021. "Geographical Indication Building Process for Sharr Cheese (Kosovo): “Inside Insights” on Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
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    15. Anja Danner-Schröder, 2021. "Without actors, there is no action: How interpersonal interactions help to explain routine dynamics," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 1913-1936, October.

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