Negotiating meaning through artefacts: a micro-level analysis of strategy discourse

TY - GEN

T1 - Negotiating meaning through artefacts

T2 - The 15th international conference on group decision and negotiation letters

AU - Tavella, Elena

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - This research contributes to the domain of strategy making, specifically to unpacking the complexity of sociomateriality in strategy discourse. Scholars have emphasized the potential of artefacts to enhance sensemaking during strategizing. However there is a lack of insight into how artefacts and conversational aspects are linked at the micro‑level of discourse, also how artefacts and sensemaking shape one another. This research addresses this gap by empirically analyzing strategy discourse within a facilitated modelling workshop. Considering strategizing as a socially constructed activity, the author analyzes a workshop transcript to assess the extent to which stakeholders’ appropriation of artefacts supports them in engaging in negotiation of meaning with action implications. Moreover, how artefacts and negotiation of meaning shape one another is identified. The data suggest that appropriating artefacts helps stakeholders negotiate meaning effectively, but appropriation occurs at varying intensities depending on the issue of concern, the artefact used and who appropriates it.

AB - This research contributes to the domain of strategy making, specifically to unpacking the complexity of sociomateriality in strategy discourse. Scholars have emphasized the potential of artefacts to enhance sensemaking during strategizing. However there is a lack of insight into how artefacts and conversational aspects are linked at the micro‑level of discourse, also how artefacts and sensemaking shape one another. This research addresses this gap by empirically analyzing strategy discourse within a facilitated modelling workshop. Considering strategizing as a socially constructed activity, the author analyzes a workshop transcript to assess the extent to which stakeholders’ appropriation of artefacts supports them in engaging in negotiation of meaning with action implications. Moreover, how artefacts and negotiation of meaning shape one another is identified. The data suggest that appropriating artefacts helps stakeholders negotiate meaning effectively, but appropriation occurs at varying intensities depending on the issue of concern, the artefact used and who appropriates it.

M3 - Article in proceedings

SP - 29

EP - 32

BT - The 15th international conference on group decision and negotiation letters

A2 - Kamiński, Bogumił

A2 - Kersten, Gregory (Grzegorz) E.

A2 - Szufel, Przemysław

A2 - Jakubczyk, Michał

A2 - Wachowicz, Tomasz

PB - Warsaw School of Economics Press

CY - Warsaw

Y2 - 22 June 2015 through 26 June 2015

ER -