Communicative Constitution Of Organizations Research Articles

Cultivating wiser service systems through communication

PurposeOur purpose is to offer the service research field a framework for cultivating wiser service systems via wise communication–which we define as “interactional activity that reflects and reifies the integrative, practical, and relational nature of organizations.”Design/methodology/approachWe draw on the Communicative Constitution of Organizations (CCO) theory to integrate insights and findings from three primary research fields – service, communication, and organizational science – to develop a framework for cultivating wiser service systems through wise communication.FindingsOur framework identifies three major components of wise communication: integrative, practical, and relational. These components require that wise communication be “holistic,” “dynamic,” and “constitutive” (the integrative component); “active,” “contextual,” and “pragmatic” (the practical component); and “compassionate,” “open-minded,” and “humble” (the relational component). We use illustrative examples from healthcare to show how these nine characteristics enable wise communication practices that facilitate wiser service systems.Practical implicationsOur framework provides helpful ways to organize and inspire insights into cultivating wiser systems. This framework identifies the theoretical components of wise communication and specific communicative actions that system members can implement to shape wiser service systems.Social implicationsWiser service systems are necessary to tackle humanity's complex social, economic, and environmental challenges.Originality/valueWe propose a novel framework for cultivating wiser systems centered on wise communication. This framework contributes new insights into theory and practice. The application of CCO theory to service systems is unique. Our article is also an early example of adding normative context to the CCO literature. While wisdom literature primarily focuses on aspects of individual wisdom, we broaden the wisdom literature to service systems.

Organization and organizationality of corruption

AbstractCorrupt actors operate in an environment with numerous mechanisms designed to expose and punish their illegal behavior. Therefore, they organize their activity to reduce risk and uncertainty surrounding the situation, which takes place within and beyond a formal hierarchy. This article approaches the subject from a multidisciplinary perspective, applying theories of organization and organizationality—such as communicative constitution of organizations, social organization, partial organization, complete organization, neopatrimonialism, and patronage–to explain the organizing element of different forms of corruption. By introducing the ideas of the organization and organizationality, this study presents a new dimension of corruption and provides new insight into the scholarship on the topic.

Communication in organizations: An overview and provocations

AbstractThe role that communication plays in social organization and processes of organizing has received considerable scholarly attention from multiple disciplines over several decades. This paper provides a review of the diverse literature that has sought to contribute to the understanding of communication and its implication for management and organization studies. An analysis of the SCOPUS database for the period 1980–2022 enabled us to cluster reference material and identify five perspectives which emerge from a review of the literature: communication as transfer, discourse, conversation (analysis), narrative, and Communicative Constitution of Organizations. These categories are not intended to be exhaustive, but they do provide a useful critical heuristic for navigating a field of study that might otherwise appear overwhelming. To map the terrain's theoretical underpinnings, our study also adopted a problematizing approach to the review which revealed various conspicuous conceptual and empirical absences at a ‘field level’ which merit further attention. The paper offers provocations and suggestions that we expect will inform future studies of organizational communication. Possibilities for developing the field include paying attention to: (a) paralinguistic dimensions of communication; (b) communication in relation to actual work practices; (c) monologic communication and (d) organizational communication in non‐Western contexts.

A paradox‐constitutive perspective of organizational gossip

AbstractWe review cross‐disciplinary research on gossip and integrate it with two streams of theoretical scholarship: paradox theory and the communicative constitution of organization (CCO) perspective. In doing so, we develop what we label a paradox‐constitutive perspective of organizational gossip. Our perspective holds that gossip does not merely reflect or reveal organizational paradoxes but contributes to constituting them. Drawing on an extensive narrative literature review (N = 184), we conceptualize organizational gossip as a socially constructed category of interpersonal communication that, paradoxically, is regarded as both an exceptionally reliable and exceptionally unreliable source of social information. In turn, we illustrate how this contradictory view of gossip engenders paradoxical tensions when gossip surfaces in organizational life, and we illuminate two specific tensions to which gossip contributes: resistance‐authority tensions and inclusion‐exclusion tensions. Our work has important implications for research on organizational gossip, paradox, and communication and suggests intriguing directions for future investigations.

La inclusión relacional: examining neoliberal tensions, relational opportunities, and fixed understandings in diversity, equity, and inclusion work in the Global South

AbstractThis study explored efforts of staff, faculty, and students at a Colombian university to materialize diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) programs in its institutional practices. Using Communicative Constitution of Organization (CCO) as an informing paradigm, this study proposed to understand institutional DEI as interconnected communicative practices of relational ontology. In addition, this study constituted an effort to recognize novel contours that delink knowledge from hegemonic North Atlantic and Eurocentric paradigms and interrogate epistemologies “embedded in capitalist networks of power” (Dutta & Pal, 2020).Through ethnographic work and in-depth interviews with 23 organizational members, this qualitative study unearthed two tension-laden themes that described (a) the (dis)ordering nature of DEI meanings and (b) the sociality/materiality entanglement of DEI efforts at a Colombia institution of higher education. Combined, our results highlight an inseparable interplay of sociomaterial discourses in DEI and the imperative need to question and contest transnational discourses from North Atlantic and Eurocentric contexts.

I'm only joking!(?) the role of disparaging humor in the communicative constitution of inclusion/exclusion in organizations

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to investigate the communicative constitution of organizational inclusion and/or exclusion through humorous acts at the expense of members of minorities and/or historically disadvantaged groups.Design/methodology/approachSemistructured interviews with 84 employees in Austria and Germany dealing with their experiences regarding diversity and inclusion (D&I) at work were conducted and analyzed in two steps. First, a thematic text analysis was performed to structure the content and identify relevant themes and anecdotes for further analysis. Second, a ventriloquial analysis sought to identify the physically absent yet present voices in these anecdotes.FindingsThe interviews revealed that jokes and quips mostly target colleagues of observable foreign origin. The analysis further identified three themes that show that disparaging humor can simultaneously reinforce inclusion/exclusion across hierarchies and create boundaries within teams – but in different ways. The findings also indicate that above all prejudices “participate” in such events and that in most cases the collective is invoked to increase the joke's “authority”.Originality/valueThis research is the first one that investigates humor in the context of D&I through a communicative constitution of organization (CCO) lens, which facilitates studying the constitutive character of humorous communication in terms of inclusion and exclusion. Moreover, this is one of the first empirical humor studies to draw on established theory-driven concepts of inclusion-exclusion in its analysis.

Temporal multimodality and performativity: Exploring politics of time in the discursive, communicative constitution of organization

This paper discusses the critical role of time in the discursive, communicative constitution of organization under neo-liberal capitalism and its normalization of uncertainty and change. Building on a review of extant time notions in studies of organizational discourse and communicative constitution of organization, we propose a critical approach to temporality inspired by feminist time notions, namely spacetimemattering and politics of time. In doing this, we develop a multimodal and performative concept of temporality that facilitates a double attention to the multiple communication modes of time and their performative powers in organizing work life. We explore the value of this conception of temporality through an empirical illustration, showing how multiple temporalities entangle, differentiate, and compete, and how one time construct may domesticate and devalue other times without, however, eliminating those, thus enabling ongoing, precarious struggles over organizing work practices and subjectivities. The paper expands the scope of temporality studies in organizations, nurturing critical theorizing of and insights into the multimodal performativity and politics of time at work in neo-liberal capitalism.

Toward a Theory of Organizational Identity as Polyphony

A growing body of research departs from classical notions of organizational identity as a shared, consensual self-understanding of ‘who we are as an organization’ by arguing that polyphony, i.e., a plurality of voices, is involved in organizational identity construction. Studies of the communicative processes through which an organizational identity comes into being through polyphony, however, remain rare. To uncover the processes through which polyphony contributes to the constitution of an organizational identity, we examine communication at Premium, a collective that produces and distributes a coke in socially and ecologically sustainable ways. Based on our analysis, we identify three communicative processes of polyphony––multiplicity, dissonance, and resonance––through which an organizational identity is produced; and we theorize the enablers that invoke the performance of these communicative processes. We also show that an organizational identity vanishes into moments of ‘silence’ if it is not talked into existence through polyphony. These findings have important implications not only for understanding organizational identity as a guide for collective action, but also for research on the ‘communicative constitution of organizations’ (CCO).

How can organizational communication impact society? Reflections from the communication practice in Portuguese communication agencies

This investigation aims to reflect on the impact generated by organizational communication in society, considering its capacity to interfere in the public sphere construction. For this, theoretical research was made addressing the communicative constitution of organizations and their relationship with society. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were conducted with Portuguese communication agencies for verifying perceptions about the communication impact in society. In the results, it was identified that to evidence this impact, it is necessary to discuss the communication organizational power in the interactional context and the discourse influence in individuals' perceptions and behaviors formation. This work was supported by Capes [grant numbers: 88881.362250/2019-01 from Program PDSE] and developed at University of Minho (Braga, Portugal).

Algorithms and Organizing

Abstract Algorithms are a ubiquitous part of organizations as they enable, guide, and restrict organizing at the level of everyday interactions. This essay focuses on algorithms and organizing by reviewing the literature on algorithms in organizations, examining the viewpoint of relationality and relational agency on algorithms and organizing, exploring the properties of algorithms, and concluding what these mean from an organizational communication viewpoint. Algorithms need data to be collected. The data are always biased, and algorithms exclude everything that is not in their code. They define what is seen as important. Their operating principles are opaque, and they are political due to human interference. Algorithms are not just used. Rather, they are co-actors in organizing. We argue that algorithms demand rethinking communication in the communicative constitution of organizations and call for more empirical research emphasizing the properties of algorithms, the relationality of algorithms, and the temporality of the materialization of algorithms.

Communicative Constitution of Organization for Elementary School in Pandemic Covid-19

This study focuses on an organizational development especially for an elementary school in which try to stabilize and adopt the changes of teaching and learning processes in relate to pandemic Covid 19 since it has been prevailing one year ago. Through Communicative Constitution of Organization (CCO) approach, it stressed on how elementary school as organization develop and adapt toward the uncertainty situation affected by pandemic covid 19. There are four locations which represent communication events in organization. First, membership negotiation, portraits how member of organization interact each other. Second, self- structuring, reflects how organization norms and culture were internalized within member of organization. Third, activity coordination- the way assignment was conducted and accomplished. It is an important thing in determine organization being successful. And finally, position of institution determines organization to the public. All has important roles to shape and develop organization being success.

Cyberattacks as “state of exception” reconceptualizing cybersecurity from prevention to surviving and accommodating

PurposeThis paper aims to outline how destructive communication exemplified by ransomware cyberattacks destroys the process of organization, causes a “state of exception,” and thus constitutes organization. The authors build on Agamben's state of exception and translate it into communicative constitution of organization (CCO) theory.Design/methodology/approachA significant increase of cyberattacks have impacted organizations in recent times and laid organizations under siege. This conceptual research builds on illustrative cases chosen by positive deviance case selection (PDCS) of ransomware attacks.FindingsCCO theory focuses mainly on ordering characteristics of communication. The authors aim to complement this view with a perspective on destructive communication that destroys the process of organization. Based on illustrative cases, the authors conceptualize a process model of destructive CCO.Practical implicationsThe authors expand thoughts about a digital “corporate immune system” to question current offensive cybersecurity strategies of deterrence and promote resilience approaches instead.Originality/valueInformed by destructive communication of cyberattacks, this theory advancement supports arguments to include notions of disorder into CCO theory. Furthermore, the paper explains where disruptions like cyberattacks may trigger sensemaking and change to preserve stability. Finally, a novel definition of ‘destructive CCO’ is provided: Destructive Communication Constitutes Organization by disrupting and destroying its site and surface while triggering sensemaking and becoming part of sensemaking itself.

Aspirational Presentation: Do Aspirational Talks Always Induce Environmentally Responsible Actions?

When executives are put into the situation that they feel held accountable to make effort towards what they presented about environmental topics, in what way do they put their communication into action? To answer this question, we combine a behavioral theory of the firm and communicative constitution of organizations and apply them to executive presentations made for their institutional investors and analysts. Using 800 conference presentation transcripts from 88 sampled firms in the polluting industries, we found that aspirational presentations were linked with capability-enhancing environmental actions while they did not affect legitimacy-seeking ones. This study will contribute to a behavioral theory of the firm by exploring the aspiration of unobtrusive and difficult-to-measure performance.

Techniques and Forces and the Communicative Constitution of Organization: A Deleuzian Approach to Organizational (In)Stability and Power

This article introduces five principles of Deleuzian ontology and the conceptual framework of techniques and forces into emerging CCO scholarship addressing (dis)organization and power. By introducing Deleuzian concepts of (1) the virtual, (2) mutual (in)stability of meaning and materiality, (3) forces (and techniques), (4) communication, and (5) power, this essay builds a relational ontology that centers communication, speaks across existing theories of CCO, and offers a more detailed emphasis on power. In doing so, it enhances the explanatory power of CCO in general, as a set of theories useful for describing how organizational constitution and power play out in an increasingly (dis)organized world where the prevalence of bounded stable organizations can no longer be taken for granted.

Confidential Gossip and Organization Studies

This essay sets out the case for regarding confidential gossip as a significant concept in the study of organizations. It develops the more general concept of gossip by combining it with concepts of organizational secrecy in order to propose confidential gossip as a distinctive communicative practice. As a communicative practice, it is to be understood as playing a particular role within the communicative constitution of organizations. That particularity arises from the special nature of any communication regarded as secret, which includes the fact that such communication is liable to be regarded as containing the ‘real truth’ or ‘insider knowledge’. Thus it may be regarded as more than ‘just gossip’ and also as more significant than formal communication. This role is explored, as well as the methodological and ethical challenges of studying confidential gossip empirically.

The Google Memo Gate: Negotiating Organizational Exclusion Under the Banner of Inclusion

While many large and well-known companies publicly advertise their commitment to values of diversity and inclusion, their sheer number of applicants forces them to continuously negotiate both premises for and actual exclusion decisions. By looking at a particularly public membership negotiation process at the company Google, we thus investigate the question how organizational exclusion is negotiated in the context of ideals of inclusion? Applying a ‘communicative constitution of organizations’ perspective, we find that de-/legitimization struggles of exclusion revolve around references to different inclusion ideals that are part of an overarching ‘inclusion paradigm’. At the same time, our study highlights the relevance of inclusion ideals constituted outside and with only marginal contribution by individual organizations publicly committing to ideals of diversity and inclusion for their membership-related decision-making.

“Ella Says…” How Authority in Eponymous Firms is Authored Through Ventriloquial Acts

This article advances ‘communicative constitution of organization’ (Ashcraft, Kuhn & Cooren, 2009: 7) understandings of how authoring authority organizes daily practice. We show how authority is eponymously authored during ventriloquial acts and produces multidirectional, temporal and fluid organizing patterns. Our ethnography of a cosmetics firm demonstrates how performative, segmented and misfiring authoring impacts quotidian activity in subtle, nuanced and precarious ways. This research also enhances communicative understandings of authority and elevates eponymy’s role within organization and management theorizing.

Does Corporate Political Activity Make TMT’s Expressed Attention to CSR Louder and Clearer?

The impact of corporate political activity (CPA) appears to be a gap in the CSR literature. Drawing on the communicative constitution of organization (CCO) theory, which argues that communication is a dynamic process capable of changing organizational reality, we investigate under what conditions top managers’ attention to CSR when expressed publicly results in firm CSR actions. Using multiple secondary databases for the U.S. publicly-traded firms, we found the expressed attention-CSR strength relationship to be more profound where firms have high levels of PAC contributions while lobbying expenditures indicate a less profound relationship. For the measurement of expressed TMT attention to CSR, we adopted supervised learning-based content analysis, which develops classifiers by relying on probabilistic algorithm and is widely applied to various research areas. This study will contribute both theoretically and practically by expanding CCO theory to CPA research and by providing a framework which helps practitioners distinguish between sincere CSR communications and insincere greenwashing.

Where is an Organization? How Workspaces Are Appropriated to Become (Partial and Temporary) Organizational Spaces

One question not addressed in communicative constitution of organizations (CCO) literature is where an organization is located. As more workers work on the road, at coffee shops, from home, and in coworking spaces, it is important to consider the relationship of these spaces to the organization. In this study, I argue that when someone appropriates features of a space to do work, that space becomes organizational. This process allows spaces like coffee shops and homes to become at least partially and temporarily organizational, rendering these workspaces as organizational contributors (to a certain extent). Using photo-elicitation interviews with workers in a variety of fields and organizations, I demonstrate gradients of spatial organizationality and show how, through appropriation, some spaces are more clearly organizational than others.

Speaking about vision, talking in the name of so much more: A methodological framework for ventriloquial analyses in organization studies

Organizations have long been treated as stable and fixed entities, defined by concrete buildings, catchy names, and strategic goals neatly written on paper. The Communicative Constitution of Organizations (CCO) school proposes an alternative, practice-grounded conceptualization for studying organizations as emerging in communicative (inter)actions. In so doing, CCO invites organizational scholars to trace back organizational phenomena to how they are communicated into existence. The concept of ventriloquism can help us explain the communicative constitutive view as it depicts how various elements of a situation are communicated into being and make a difference in interaction. However, ventriloquism lacks a proper methodological outline. Taking employee conversations about visions—a classic constituent of organizations—as our venue, we created a four-step framework for ventriloquial analyses and explored how visions are talked into existence. In this paper, we introduce and illustrate our analytical framework, showing how to identify, order, and present ventriloquial effects. We thus provide organizational (communication) scholars with a new methodological tool that facilitates the systematic inquiry into organizing and the organized from a communicative constitutive perspective.