The Use of Fiction for the Study of Organizational Behavior in Extreme Contexts

Abstract

In this paper, we conceptually explore whether narrative fiction such as in film, literature, theater, and music can be exploited as a data source for studying organizational behavior in the context of extreme events. In doing so, we deconstruct the putative dichotomy between fictional and factual narratives, arguing that they possess common features as fact is fictionalized and fiction is incorporated into reality. Organizational members utilize narrative strategies in a sense-making process to conceptualize their reality, whilst authors of fiction adhere to the principle of verisimilitude, thus resembling reality in their works. Our paper highlights that although fiction clearly has some limitations as a research tool, it offers advantages to researchers for studying organizational phenomena.