How metaphorical framings build and undermine resilience during change: A longitudinal study of metaphors in team-driven planned organizational change

Shawna Malvini Redden, Lou Clark, Sarah J. Tracy, Michael S. Shafer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Change is a constant feature of organizing and one that requires resilience, or the ability to effectively face challenges. Although research demonstrates important findings about resilience during chaotic change like crises, less is known about resilience in mundane situations like planned change. This study explores team-driven planned organizational change, offering insights about how team members metaphorically frame change, analyzing how their framing fluctuates over time relative to perceptions of team success. Our three theoretical contributions extend theory about metaphors and organizational change, showing how negative framings of change are endemic to teams, regardless of perceived success; generate knowledge about resilience in organizing by showing how metaphors both build and undermine resilience; and extend applied theory about stakeholder participation in bureaucratic organizations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)501-525
Number of pages25
JournalCommunication Monographs
Volume86
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2 2019

Keywords

  • Organizational change
  • framing
  • longitudinal research
  • metaphor analysis
  • resilience
  • stakeholder participation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication
  • Language and Linguistics

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