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Theories in

Organisational

storytelling (OS)

Review of the literature Part 1By Mark-Shane Scale

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Review of the litAuthors Methods Approach Definition of OS

Baruch (2009)

Compares& contrast fairy tales with OS

comparative

Bennet & Bennet (2007)

Case study Case study Accounts of events (real/imaginary)

Boje, Luhman, Baack (1999)

Telephone interviews; reflexivity

Postmodernist accounts of an event (multiple, but 1 dominates)

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Review of the litAuthors Methods Approach Definition of OS

Feldman (1990)

Fieldwork cultural theory

Account of event that socially constructs/ reconstructs reality

Gabriel (1991)

Field work + reflexive

Comparative + reflexive

Symbolic/poetic reconstruction of events infused with value

McCollom (1992)

Fieldwork mixed methods analysis

Brief account of an event

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Baruch (2009)

PURPOSE:contrast & compare

organisational stories with fairy tales

AIMS:FT – child development

OS – organisational development

CONTEXT (where told):FT– family setting

OS – organisation/ wider environment

AUDIENCE: FT –children/ young people

OS – organisational members, outsiders; new entrants

SOURCE/TELLERS/PERFORMERS:

FT – parents/ entertainersOS – new entrants, members,

BOUNDARIES:OS – bounded by time, space &

realityFT – situated in space, far away

time, not bounded by reality

OWNERSHIP:FT - belongs to humanity

OS –belongs to organizational members, sometimes wider

environment

OUTCOME:FT – always positive,

victory/fulfillmentOS – end in tragedy, end

positively, or indefinite ending

CAUTIONS:Both FT & OS can distort reality

DISCUSSIONS:Value of OS & FT in

organisational development and management studies

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Gabriel (1991)Major genre of OS

Stories deal with Feelings, needs & desires

Comic Misfortune of organisation or members

eg. Jokes about mechanical or bureaucratic failure

mirth, pressure release

Tragedy Misfortune of organisation or members

eg. Gripe stories or stories about malevolent authority figures

Outlet for pain, grief or attribution of guilt

Epic Transformation of crises through action of organisational hero/heroes

Purpose, commitment, pride

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Gabriel (1991)Blended genres of OS

Description

Tragi-comic Misfortune of organisation or members that become humourous over time; denying victimhood.

Traumatic at first, but people begin to see the funny side.

Epic-comic Resolution of crisis through cunning and wit; or outsmarting the villain (similar to the genre of trickster stories)

eg. Little man outsmarting bureaucracy

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Gabriel (1991)

How to treat OS?

Symbolic artifacts

Folklorist / ethnographic

approach

Data to be verified/tested

Historian approach

Both: Neither fact/fiction

OS as illustrations/vignett

es

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Feldman (1990)Summary of the themes/ motifs /content of OS

By employeesLeader stories

• The impact of actions of leaders on organisational members• How employees feel about authority figures

By leadersPolitical stories

• Influence the actions of employees• Indoctrinate new employees• Control or maintain the status quo

Shared by system membersSocial stories• State what is important or identify threats to organisation• Suggest solutions /course of actions• Shape decision-making (consciously or unconsciously)

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Interpersonal• Establishing relationships, informing, entertaining

Organizational• Conveying organizational value

Group• Communicating identity

Management• Making expectable, the unexpectable• Reduction of uncertainty by conveying information and creating scripts

to predict the future

Organisational narrative• expression of ideology and power structures• Stories crated to produce, maintain and reproduce power structures

McCollom (1992)Summary of the analytical themes in the literature applied to

studying the functions of OS

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ReferencesBaruch, Y. (2009). Once upon a time there was an organization. Journal of Management Inquiry, 18(1), 15-25. doi:10.1177/1056492606294522

Bennet, A., & Bennet, D. (2007). From stories to strategy: Putting organizational learning to work. VINE: The Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 37(4), 404-409. doi:10.1108/03055720710838489

Boje, D., Luhman, J., & Baack, D. (1999). Stories and encounters between storytelling organizations. Journal of Management Inquiry, 8(4), 340-360. doi:10.1177/105649269984002

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References (cont.)Feldman, S. (1990). Stories as cultural creativity: On the relation between symbolism and politics in organizational change. Human Relations, 43(9), 809-828. doi:10.1177/001872679004300901

Gabriel, Y. (1991). On organisational stories and myths: why it is easier to slay a dragon than to kill a myth. International Sociology, 6(4), 427-442. doi:10.1177/026858091006004004

McCollom, M. (1992). Organizational stories in a family-owned business. Family Business Review, 5(1), 3-24. doi:10.1111/j.1741-6248.1992.00003.x