Antenarratives of organizational change

The microstoria of Burger King’s storytelling in space, time and strategic context

Bibliographic Data

ID9889686
AuthorsDavid M Boje (0000-0002-1691-1189, New Mexico State University, corresponding author), Usha C V Haley (0000-0003-4663-0676, West Virginia University, corresponding author), Usha CV Haley (West Virginia University), Rohny Saylors (0000-0001-6263-0997, Washington State University, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume69
Issue2
Pages391-418
Publication date2016-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7267 • E-ISSN: 1741-282X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0018726715585812
OpenAlexW2285036134
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited57

This research extends our understanding of organizational sensemaking through storytelling to highlight complex processes of organizational change in space, time and strategic context. We focus on the concept of antenarratives, how managers’ and other stakeholders’ fragmented speculations regarding futures may legitimate or resist organizational change. Antenarratives are not yet fully-formed narratives, but rather pieces of organizational discourse that help to construct identities and interests. We explain the theoretical relevance of Russian socio-linguist Mikhail Bakhtin’s space and time conceptualizations (chronotopes) for strategic narratives of change, and illustrate how antenarratives play important roles in narrative chronotopes. We relate German philosopher Martin Heidegger’s reasons for being in relation to others (existential ontology) to stakeholders’ and organizational identities, and to antenarrative glimpses in Bakhtin’s chronotopes. Through these theorizations, we contribute to conversations surrounding managerial discourses of organizational change, and discussions on how researchers may analyze antenarratives in relation to stabilized narratives. We use microstoria, or little-story analysis, and the case of Burger King Corporation’s international strategizing, to highlight emergent conflicts and their resolution for sensemaking that includes diverse organizational stakeholders and affects organizational effectiveness

Chronotope · Context (archaeology · Epistemology · Knowledge management · Linguistics · Narrative · Organization development · Organizational learning · Organizational studies · Political science · Public relations · Sensemaking · Sociology · Storytelling · Computer Science · History · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Management and Organizational Studies · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

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