Acquisitions as programs: The role of sensemaking and sensegiving

Abstract

The intersection of program management and acquisition research remains undeveloped. Within both research domains there is limited recognition of how senior and project managers frame change and influence the meaning construction of others in complex and ambiguous situations. We investigate how sensemaking and sensegiving alternate within an acquisition program during ten Indian acquisitions. Our resulting model highlights how sensemaking and sensegiving interface and blend across different projects (e.g., functional or task-based) to build shared meaning and maintain business continuity. Viewing acquisitions as programs, consisting of interrelated projects, disentangles how senior managers create shared meaning. Additional implications for research and management practice are identified.