READY, STEADY, DIGITAL?! How foresight activities do (NOT) affect individual technological frames for managerial SENSEMAKING

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how managers use their individual technological frames for sensemaking during technology foresight activities. Although the positive effects of technology foresight activities are well documented, there is limited research, which analyzes the influence of foresight on managerial frames for sensemaking. We lack detailed descriptions how managers sensemaking processes are influenced, since most research studies do not analyze individual technological frames before, during, and after foresight activities are conducted. This study targets this gap by analyzing managerial frames for sensemaking at three different points in time. To do so, we conducted several technology foresight workshops with participants from the German construction sector. The collected data comprises 32 in-depth interviews, 12 group discussions, and complementary records from six companies, three organizations, and two universities. The findings show that managers apply and adapt their individual technological frames during foresight activities. Technological advantages are recognized, and the managers are able to create a detailed vision of their organization's future development. However, to our surprising, the managers returned to their initial technological frames after the workshop, because the daily business life and established routines did not allow to apply the adapted sensemaking mechanisms. The study's findings offer three contribution: First, we show that managers distinguish their sensemaking in perceived sensegiving and sensebreaking during foresight activities. Second, we describe the gravitating influence of a dominating organizational frame, which leads managers to ignore the results of foresight activities. Third, we question the long-term interrelations of foresight activities and technological frames.