Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce narrative construction, a method by which participants produce a narrative to make sense of their organizational context, as well as strategically guide action and decision making. While narrative theory has long-held that people construct narratives to make sense of, and guide, their experience, narrative construction here entails a deliberate and strategic approach to narrative theory. Design/methodology/approach: This is part of an ethnonarrative approach that includes both a constructionist and interpretive narrative and ethnographic methodology. Findings: Narrative construction has research implications for an ethnomethodology of social construction and empirical observation of narrative enactment. There are practical implications for enabling change and building highly-coordinated organizations. Originality/value: Narrative construction offers a new qualitative methodology and extends ethnonarrative research. The research setting, a death penalty defense team, is also unique. It also moves narrative theory beyond an interpretive device to a constructionist strategy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 442-463 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | Journal of Organizational Change Management |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2011 |
Keywords
- Change
- Death penalty
- Decision making
- Ethnography
- Ethnonarrative
- Narratives
- United States of America