Organizational Mindfulness Research Articles

Mindfulness in Organizations: A Cross-Level Review

In recent years, research on mindfulness has grown rapidly in organizational psychology and organizational behavior. Specifically, two bodies of research have emerged: One focuses on the intrapsychic processes of individual mindfulness and the other on the social processes of collective mindfulness. In this review we provide a pioneering, cross-level review of mindfulness in organizations and find that mindfulness is neither mysterious nor mystical, but rather can be reliably and validly measured, linked to an array of individual and organizational outcomes, and induced through meditative and nonmeditative practices and processes at the individual and collective levels. Our analysis of the combined literatures further reveals that although each literature is impressive, there is a significant need for multilevel mindfulness research that simultaneously examines individual and collective mindfulness and broadens its conception of context. This research agenda provides a more robust understanding of the antecedents, processes, and consequences of individual and collective mindfulness as well as more definitive evidence maximizing mindfulness and its benefits in practice.

Can Mindful Firms be Innovative? Differentiated Impact of Organizational Mindfulness on Innovation

Building on the theories of organizational attention and learning, this study investigates the differentiated impact of organizational mindfulness on different types of firm innovation. We contend that the emphasis of organizational mindfulness on attention to the present and to the connectivity of multiple surrounding elements can result in the different impact of organizational mindfulness on innovations with a high or low degree of novelty. Specifically, we propose while organizational mindfulness has a positive relationship with innovation with a lower degree of novelty, there exists an inverse U-shaped relationship between organizational mindfulness and firm innovations with a higher degree of novelty. Results based on a combined dataset of archival data and a survey data of about 350 Chinese firms support our hypotheses. This study is one of the first studies to explore the impact of organizational mindfulness on firm innovation and it further advances our understanding on mindfulness, organizational attention and organizational learning.

Sustaining Mindfulness in High-Reliability Organizations: A Multi-Modal Study of US Navy SEALs

This multi-modal study of US Navy Sea Air and Land (SEALs) commandos seeks to add to the research investigating mindfulness in High-Reliability Organizations (HROs). The study identifies two charac...

Mindfulness In A Hazardous Context: Times When Organizations Exibit Unusual Care

We conducted a case study of two organizations, an oil and gas company and hydroelectric energy producer, both of which operate in high-hazard contexts. The research question guiding this study was: How do organizations that operate in high-hazard context enact mindfulness? Our findings indicate that paradoxically, it is the acute awareness of their hazardous nature that makes them mindful in their practices. To this end, we show how these organizations enact mindfulness through extraordinary care for the employee, environment, and the impact they may have on society at large. In doing so, our findings contribute to extant research on organizational mindfulness in hazardous contexts and how organizational actors navigate often competing objectives to enact mindfulness.

The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Ebola Crisis: A Mindfulness Perspective

This paper utilizes an organizational mindfulness perspective to analyze the series of events that led to the misdiagnosis of the first Ebola case in the U.S. in 2014 and to the transmission of the...

How elite athletes reflect on their training: strong beliefs – ambiguous feedback signals

Elite sport organizations invest considerable efforts in continuous evaluation of training and development. A key challenge is to promote athletes’′ reliable learning. This requires critical reflection. In this paper we look at how highly successful elite cross-country skiers reflect on their training. The theoretical framework of organizational mindfulness and reliable learning directs attention to three key mechanisms that influence reflection: socialization, sensemaking and interpretation. We identified an inherent tension in the way athletes are socialized into elite athletes. On the one hand, they internalize strong beliefs in key success factors. Such beliefs serve as a normative framework that provides commitment and enthusiasm. However, strong beliefs may weaken the athletes’ ability to notice ambiguous feedback signals in complex training situations. We found four different styles of reflection, but only one of them is consistent with requirements for reliable learning.

Nurse leader resilience: career defining moments.

Resilience is an essential component of effective nursing leadership. It is defined as the ability to survive and thrive in the face of adversity. Resilience can be developed and internalized as a measure to improve retention and reduce burnout. Nurse leaders at all levels should develop these competencies to survive and thrive in an increasingly complex health care environment. Building positive relationships, maintaining positivity, developing emotional insight, creating work-life balance, and reflecting on successes and challenges are effective strategies for resilience building. Nurse leaders have a professional obligation to develop resilience in themselves, the teams they supervise, and the organization as a whole. Additional benefits include reduced turnover, reduced cost, and improved quality outcomes through organizational mindfulness.

ORGANIZATIONAL MINDFULNESS AND CORPORATE RESILIENCE OF HOSPITALITY FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

This study is an empirical inquiry into the adoption and practice of metaphysical components such as organizational mindfulness in management and its relationship with social realities such as organizational resilience in Nigerian businesses, specifically as it applies to Hospitality Firms in Rivers state, Nigeria. As a cross sectional survey, data for the study was generated using structured questionnaire from 39 respondents across 8 sampled registered hospitality firms. A total of three hypotheses were postulated with analysis revealing significant correlations between organizational mindfulness and the measures of organizational resilience; Affective commitment, organizational involvement and Customer Satisfaction; implying that the adoption and practice of organizational mindfulness is a prerequisite for effectively attending to and addressing work-related issues and thus enhancing organizational resilience. In conclusion, the findings of this study lend credence to its support for the adoption and practice of organizational mindfulness in achieving a more sensitized and supportive work environment and thereby a more desirable expression of work attitudes from employees. It was thereafter recommended that organizations should on a consistent basis, assess their dispositions and the applicability of their systems and technologies within their various contexts. The applicability of such features determines their effectiveness and also impacts on their resilience.

Exploring teacher and school resilience as a new perspective to solve persistent problems in the educational sector

In this paper, we will explore the relevance, meaning and perspectives of teacher, team and school resilience. The central research questions are: does the concept of teacher, team and school resilience offer new and promising perspectives on persistent problems in the educational sector? And secondly; how can resilience at individual, team and school level potentially be strengthened? After an insight into the context of the educational system in the Netherlands, we describe the current challenges in the educational system and sector both internationally and for the Netherlands based on a dialogue with stakeholders, scientific literature and data from the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2010. We propose that the educational field would benefit from a proactive approach that includes interrelated levels of actors (i.e. individual, team and school). We elaborate on this argument by making use of four resilience-related theories developed in a variety of areas: Resilience Engineering (focusing on four abilities for resilience), organizational mindfulness (focusing on signalling early warnings threatening resilience), the human resource management perspective on resilience (focusing on constraint vs. commitment of employees) and resilience as a social system (focusing on resilience as an interpersonal asset). Each of these theories points out that multilevel approaches for developing resilience are useful. Thereafter, four abilities (anticipation, monitoring, responding and learning) that seem vital for the process of developing resilience are described and discussed at individual, team and school level making use of practical examples based on stakeholders’ experiences. We discuss that the resilience perspective is promising and deserves (co-created) experimentation in the educational sector. Due to the theoretical nature of this paper, the findings could be useful to set agendas, but they need carefully evaluated pilot projects for future confirmation.

The role of organizational mindfulness in firms’ globalization and global market performance

Purpose– This research aims at contributing to international marketing literature by reconsidering the drivers of firms’ globalization and global market performance in the light of organizational mindfulness concept.Design/methodology/approach– Based on industrial organization theory, resource-based view and literature on organizational mindfulness, a conceptual framework is presented to characterize how organizational mindfulness impacts firms’ globalization process and global market performance. In total, 14 propositions are extracted.Findings– This paper proposes that organizational mindfulness plays a significant role in firms’ entry into foreign markets, global extension and global market performance. More specifically, organizational mindfulness positively moderates the relationships between external globalization drivers and the extent of firms’ globalization. In addition, organizational mindfulness is an antecedent to strategic processes, whereas it positively moderates the relationships between other internal drivers and firms’ globalization and global market performance. Furthermore, this paper suggests that country equity is a significant external globalization driver that also moderates the relationship between the extent of firms’ globalization and global market performance.Research limitations/implications– The proposed framework contributes to international marketing research by integrating organizational mindfulness concept into the drivers of firms’ globalization and global market performance, and highlights its crucial role in the pursuit of opportunities in the global marketplace. The paper suggests that firms should create mindful organizations to expand its activities into global markets and achieve desirable global market performance. In other words, they should improve collective mindfulness to survive in today’s hyper-competitive markets.Originality/value– The paper represents the first attempt that incorporates organizational mindfulness concept into firms’ globalization process. Highlighting the importance of developing mindful organizations, it reconsiders the drivers of firms’ global expansion and global market performance. Furthermore, it is the first attempt that introduces the country equity construct as an external driver of firms’ global extension and as a moderator between organizational reform measures and global market performance.

Organisationale Achtsamkeit auf Erwartungskonflikte – Zur gesundkeitssensiblen Gestaltung permanenter Reorganisation / Organizational mindfulness focusing on conflicts of expectations – On health promotion in permanent reorganization

Abstract Aufgrund zunehmend dynamischer und unsicherer sozio-ökonomischer Umwelten setzen Unternehmen häufig auf Veränderungskonzepte der permanenten Reorganisation. Diese bedeuten oft einen tief greifenden Eingriff in etablierte soziale Erwartungsgefüge zwischen Management und Belegschaftsgruppen, der gesundheitsgefahrdende Erwartungskonflikte auslösen kann. Derartige Konflikte können durch das forschungsbasiert entwickelte Gestaltungskonzept orgamsationaler Achtsamkeit konstruktiv und gesundheitsförderlich bearbeitet werden. Die betriebspolitische Thematisierung von Erwartungskonflikten bildet eine zentrale Voraussetzung für die Entwicklung organisationaler Achtsamkeit.

Analysing ISD performance using narrative networks, routines and mindfulness

ContextWhile the ISD process and in particular Requirement Elicitation has been defined as a collaborative social interaction, visualisations fail to accurately capture the multifaceted nature of the social process. Instead, ISD visualisations focus on presenting a more mechanical/technical perspective, ultimately restricting an opportunity to better analyse the process. ObjectiveWith particular focus on Requirements Elicitation this study utilises the narrative network technique to visualise the ISD process as a live routine with the aim to detail the ideal and actual aspects of ISD. The ideal aspect consists of the abstract, generalised understandings of the human actors regarding enacting a routine. Being a live routine, the reality is that adjustments/variations are a common occurrence and need to be taken into account. Enabling the opportunity to identify patterns of action within the routine, the study also incorporates organisational mindfulness to provide further social analysis of these patterns of action. MethodIn light of the lack of theoretical maturity around the viewing of an ISD process as a ‘live routine’, this exploratory research sought to build theory using a single instrumental case study spanning over 3years (several ISD projects) and a variety of methods (e.g. workshop, experiment). ResultsVisualising the ISD process as a live routine it was possible to identify a number of patterns of action. These patterns were triangulated against the organisational mindfulness analysis of the case data to highlight underlying mindless behaviours. A rule was then implemented (experimentally) during the first iteration of a new ISD project and notable improvements in the ISD process were observed. Furthermore, the knock on organisational impact of the experimental implementation of the rule is also examined. ConclusionFrom a practitioner perspective the study provides an alternative method for analysing the ISD process of an organisation and highlights the benefits of observing the ISD process as a live routine. From an academic perspective, contributions are made to both the ISD and Organisational body of knowledge.

The Influence of Organizational Trust and Organizational Mindfulness on ERP Systems Usage

This paper examines how organizational trust and organizational mindfulness shape enterprise resource planning (ERP) system usage. We focus on five dimensions of trust: competence, openness and honesty, concern for employees, reliability, and identification. Drawing on organizational trust and organizational mindfulness theories, we argue that perception of organizational trust among ERP users might explain ERP system usage. We also predict that organizational mindfulness among ERP users positively influences ERP system usage. Our study draws on a total of 231 questionnaires collected from ERP system users across the United States. The results suggest that organizational trust dimensions (namely, competence, concern for employees, and identification) affect ERP system usage. Consistent with the theory, the results also support the idea that organizational trust (i.e., competence, openness and honesty, concern for employees, and identification) create supportive infrastructure-enabling organizational mindfulness. Finally, the study shows key antecedents of organizational mindfulness and underscores the importance of organizational mindfulness as a way of encouraging ERP system usage.

Exploring the Duality of Stability and Change in and of Change Initiatives

This symposium will explore the duality of stability and change as a fluid dynamic state evident in organizations. In contrast to prior literature that explore the dualism of stability and change and frame these as conflicting poles that need to be reconciled, sperate in space or time, we explore the duality embedded in these dimensions and examine how these two poles can be connected. The session features four empirical papers undertaking diverse theoretical perspective, examining the processes enabling the weaving of stability and change in organizational change planning, change implementation and on-going organizing. Presentations will be followed by discussion of the integration of change and paradox research by the session chair- Wendy Smith, who will offer insights for further development of a paradox perspective of change. We also expect that an open dialogue and discussion with the audience at the end of this session, will provoke future research questions and collaborations. The session is designed to contribute to research on temporality, organizational change, strategic organizing, organizational processes, practices and paradox. Organizational Mindfulness and the paradox of organizational change Presenter: Harald Heinz Tuckermann; U. of St. Gallen Change resurrected: How and why change initiative re-emerge? Presenter: Reut Livne-Tarandach; U. of Oregon Exploring the duality of coercion and empowerment in strategic change programs Presenter: Torsten Schmid; U. of St. Gallen Presenter: Martha Feldman; U. of California, Irvine Achieving Familiar Novelty through the Use of Organizational Routines Presenter: Scott Sonenshein; Rice U.

Editorial

Editorial

Organizational Mindfulness and Mindful Organizing: A Reconciliation and Path Forward

Ray, Baker, and Plowman's (2011) study of organizational mindfulness highlights latent tensions in the mindfulness literature and promising avenues for future research. Their study provides a sprin...

Mindfully Resisting the Bandwagon: Reconceptualising IT Innovation Assimilation in Highly Turbulent Environments

Environmental turbulence (ET), as exemplified by the recent financial crisis between 2007 and 2009, leads to a high degree of uncertainty, and fosters mimicry and resulting bandwagon phenomena in information technology (IT) innovation assimilation processes. In these highly turbulent environments, ‘mindless’ IT innovation assimilation by participating organizations plays a major role in the manifestation and facilitation of mimetic influences. Even in less turbulent economic cycles, highly turbulent industries such as the financial services industry have to deal with demanding IT innovation assimilation processes, and are exposed to varying levels of ET and mimicry. Drawing upon the theory of dynamic capabilities, organizational mindfulness (OM) is one viable means to mitigate the potentially negative consequences of mimetic behaviour. Here, mindful organizations are more successful in overcoming situations of high dynamism, and sometimes are even able to exploit them. So far, little empirical research has been conducted to quantify the influence of OM in scenarios of high dynamism and mimicry. On the basis of 302 complete responses from senior IT managers in the financial services industry from the Anglo-Saxon countries (the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom), this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the interaction of OM with institutional pressures against the background of ET.

Mind the gap

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate the distinctive streams of research on market orientation, quality orientation, and organizational mindfulness, and examine the mediating role of mindful marketing between market orientation and quality orientation, and their linkages to two emerging key outcomes: mindful consumption and value co‐creation. Design/methodology/approach – Based on extant orientation and organizational mindfulness research, a conceptual framework is presented to characterize the nomological network among market and quality orientations, mindful marketing, mindful consumption and value co‐creation. In total, 14 propositions are extracted. Findings – The paper proposes that the synergistic interaction of market and quality orientation has a direct influence on mindful marketing, which in turn influences two outcomes: mindful consumption and value co‐creation. The dual moderating role of market structure is also incorporated among the findings. Practical implications – The proposed framework demonstrates how managers can emphasize market and/or quality orientation in order to develop an optimal mindful marketing strategy that would take the stakeholders' intrinsic benefits into account. It is suggested that this approach will lead to mindful consumption and increase the opportunities for value co‐creation among the stakeholders, which will ultimately lead to better organizational performance. Originality/value – The paper represents a first attempt to integrate two strategic orientations, and the concept of mindfulness. It examines the intimate relationship between market and quality orientations and how they jointly lead to the development of mindful marketing. It also explores the role of two emerging constructs in marketing: mindful consumption and value co‐creation.

Mindful pricing: transforming organizations through value-based pricing

We address the following paradox: most scholars consider value-based pricing as superior to cost- and competition-based approaches in industrial markets – yet, few firms use it. Semi-structured interviews with 44 managers of small to medium size US industrial firms revealed key characteristics that are common to the firms who successfully implement value-based pricing: the ability to face deep transformational change, the role of champions as transformational leaders, the creation and diffusion of organizational mindfulness, the building of organizational confidence to fuel the transformation, and the design of center-led and specialized teams of experts supporting the firm's pricing process. Our data demonstrate that value-based pricing is not simply adopted but internalized through a long and purposeful process supported by a mindful, experiential, and transformative learning environment.

Organizational Mindfulness in Business Schools

Business schools, like many organizations, exist in increasingly turbulent environments, making them vulnerable to unexpected events. Making mistakes in such environments is less likely when organizations are “mindful”—when they pay close attention to what is happening around them and maintain the capacity to act on unexpected signals (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2001). Organizational mindfulness, however, is a theoretical construct that has yet to be empirically validated. We examine organizational mindfulness in U.S. business schools and provide evidence of the five dimensions of organizational mindfulness articulated by Weick and Sutcliffe (2001). We also consider the impact of role on how decision makers view organizational mindfulness and discuss the implications of our findings for both researchers and managers.