Organizational Myths Research Articles

Economics, ideas or institutions? Agencification through government-owned enterprises in illiberal contexts: The case of Hungary

Corporate state agencies (CSAs) are government/state-owned enterprises (GOEs) that perform public tasks. The main objective of this article is to better understand the drivers of governments’ changing reliance on CSAs in performing public tasks. We pursue this ambition in a particular context: one characterized by the illiberal transformation of political and state institutions. Based on a review of the applicable but thus far largely disconnected streams of research we proposed and subsequently tested several hypotheses using a unique data set of Hungarian corporate state agencies that existed between 1995 and 2014. The empirical analysis revealed, firstly, that in line with theories rooted in mainstream economics, economic factors do affect governments’ reliance on this type of agencies (albeit to a limited extent). Secondly, we conclude that organizational myths such as the “myth of central control” of Viktor Orbán’s governments explain a large proportion of changes in our outcome of interest. However, notably, we found no direct empirical support for either the effect of illiberal transformation of government or administrative reform doctrines.

Presenting a Model for Understanding the Dark Aspects of Organizational Myth Phenomenon at Yazd University of Medical Sciences

Presenting a Model for Understanding the Dark Aspects of Organizational Myth Phenomenon at Yazd University of Medical Sciences

The Role of Organizational Myth in Institutional Persistence: The Case of Magnum Photos

Institutionalized organizations are pervaded by myths, that is, loosely factual historical narratives expressing organizational values. Yet, we scarcely understand how such organizations cohere around their myths over time, thus maintaining their distinctive characters and demonstrating institutional persistence. In this study, we explore how organizational myth fosters institutional persistence over a long period of time, even in the face of potentially disintegrating crises. We examine the case of Magnum Photos, a legendary photo agency founded in 1947. Our analysis of rich manually collected archival data covering more than half a century of Magnum’s existence allows us to unpack a mechanism that we term mastering the art of crisis. In mastering the art of crisis, any organizational crisis is transformed into an existential one and organizational myth is invoked for charting a course of action that would ensure the continuous organizational cohesion around the values expressed in the myth. As a new course of action is bounded by the logic of the myth, it does not disrupt the distinctive character and historic legacy of the organization. As organizational myth, by virtue of its symbolic nature, affords multiple frames of reference, it allows for reprioritization and reinterpretation of the values constituting it, thereby providing a room for successful adaptation to new circumstances. Our findings contribute to the historical turn and revival of old institutionalism in organization studies.

“Force Multipliers” and “Risk Multipliers:” Organizational Myth and Gender Integration of the U.S. Combat Arms Military Occupational Specialties and Units

ABSTRACT This study examines the employment of gendered frameworks accompanying organizational imperatives to diversify and offer equal opportunities through a content analysis of the Women in Service Review conducted prior to gender integration of the U.S. military’s combat arms in 2015. Through a framework of gender difference, these documents support the organizational position that integrating women into combat arms can enhance, but mostly endangers, military capability. Additionally, the military’s focus on developing gender-neutral standards both claims erasure of gender as a barrier to inclusion while asserting “intrinsic” gender differences that account for (and justify) women’s continued underrepresentation in combat arms units.

DA REVOLTA DA VACINA AO POVO SEM VACINA CONTRA A COVID-19: REFLEXÕES SOBRE PANDEMIA, RAÇA E EXCLUSÃO SOCIAL

Brazilian cities were not built focusing on the working class. On the contrary, the guiding basis of the great metropolises was the Eurocentric look, having as organizational myths, cities like Paris and Washington. This article is inscribed in the critical analytical framework that brings to mind the invaluable legacy of the geographer Milton Santos, the criticism of the right to the city by Henri Lefebvre, David Harvey, and also considering the contributions of Vera Telles, Eveline Trevisan, and Adchille Mbembe, regarding the importance of the concept of Necropolitics that is salutary to the theme, also bringing some observations about the sociological current of the Chicago School, as a counterpoint to its ideology about what is city. Far from exhausting the theme, the article aims to contribute to black narratives regarding the rebound of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, revisiting the past and leading us to hope for the future, based on resistance and construction of aquilombing strategies, in the face of the numerous attacks on democracy and social rights, especially since the coup of 2016. It is necessary to think that social, territorial, historical, and economic exclusion are not watertight issues, much less separate from other debates, to the extent that the serious health issue initiated in 2020 holds numerous issues that led to the fight for the vaccine, in a historical turn that marks from the Vaccine Revolt, to the fight for dignity and respect for working and peripheral populations. Living in Brazilian cities, having black skin, as is the case of both authors in this article, requires more and more reflections on the present moment without, however, asking questions about the past.

Genderwashing: the myth of equality

ABSTRACT Genderwashing is an organizational tool that presents the myth of gender equality in organizations through discourse and text. To critique this organizational myth, this paper contributes a new perspective and theoretical definition for genderwashing. We outline how genderwashing activities are underpinned by economic over ethical motives, which are grounded in a desire to uphold an organization’s reputation, sometimes at the expense of employee well-being. Our presentation of genderwashing is grounded not only in the work of Critical Human Resource Development (CHRD), but also in Dorothy Smith’s concept of ruling relations. These lenses enable us to examine how superficial attempts to address gender inequality within organizations fail to create structural change or disrupt engrained power dynamics. Furthermore, drawing on Sara Ahmed’s work on diversity and institutional silencing, we argue that genderwashing represents an organizational stance that purports to practice equality, even while women and other marginalized individuals experience little or no advancement. In regards to gender inequalities, we focus on how one organizational text, the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) works to reinforce gender inequalities in organizations. We conclude with a call to action for practitioners and scholars offering suggestions for how to move beyond the stultifying practices of organizational genderwashing.

A Tool for the Interpretation of Organizational Myths: The Case of Innovation in the City of Medellín, Colombia

A Tool for the Interpretation of Organizational Myths: The Case of Innovation in the City of Medellín, Colombia

Institutional and Organizational Myths: a Process Model of Myth Lifecycle

In this paper we rethink the archetypal idea of organizational myths that is very important for understanding the process of organizing. We present a recursive process model that illustrates how tw...

Ideology and Distortions of the Entrepreneurial Concept. The Results of Conflict in Organizational Culture

Organizations constantly exist in a process of sense-making, interpretation and sense-transfer. It is initiated by various centers (top-managers, external organizational environment, clients). The initial concept of organization is being distorted repeatedly. The initiator’s initial concept loses its symbolic value and can’t be realized. Managers avoid to produce and transmit meanings, refuse to reduce uncertainty. They reduce the pressure of responsibility through ideology, creating the discourse that justifies such behavior. The function of ideology is to simplify, depersonify and to reduce the need for productive tension. They start to compete with initiator for the meaning, creating organizational myth. Consequently, official organizational policy must first of all be oriented towards transformation of ideology into methodology of solving organizational problems.

On methodology and myths: exploring the International Crisis Group’s organisational culture

Exploring the historiography of the International Crisis Group (icg), this article looks critically at the narratives surrounding the organisation’s self-declared success. The focus is specifically on the so-called icg methodology, consisting of field-based research and analysis, practical policy recommendations and high-level advocacy. Combining a three-level approach to the analysis of organisational cultures with Yanow’s concept of organisational myths, the article argues that the icg methodology contains a number of organisational myths that are meant to mask tensions and contradictions in the organisation’s underpinning basic assumptions and values, which, if publicly discussed, could have the power to undermine its expert authority. The four myths looked at in detail are the ‘field facts myth’, the ‘myth of flexible pragmatism’, the ‘myth of uniqueness’ and the ‘neutrality/independence myth’.

New forms of political participation. Changing demands or changing opportunities to participate in political parties?

In the past 30 years, party membership has dropped significantly across Europe, whereas other forms of political participation have developed. I first show how political parties have sought to be more attractive by lowering the cost of membership and creating new selective incentives (such as the right to vote in internal ballots), leading to a convergence of party rules across European parties. To understand the logic behind such reforms, one needs to take into account the broader political context and I focus on the United Kingdom to show how competition between and within parties provided the justification for changes that mostly aligned them with organisational myths. The third part argues that such changes in opportunities to participate in political parties contribute to explain why membership has continued to fall. This article draws on extensive qualitative research (including my own) conducted in and on political parties in the United Kingdom and France to provide a new account of membership recruitment crisis that contrasts with the traditional emphasis on supply/demand.

Organizational Myths: How Organizational Change is Misunderstood and Why it is So Rarely Successful

Organizational Myths is a conceptual paper that examines how, as a result of largely being unaware of and ignoring the of organizational behavior, managers unintentionally fail in most of their improvement efforts. This failure rate is confirmed by numerous studies, e.g. Kotter (1996). An understanding of dark side issues provides for a deeper understanding of organizational resilience, and enables managers to deal more successfully with the complexity of organizational life, learn from success and build on failures. These insights apply equally well to for-profit and non-profit organizations of all kinds. The ideas developed in this article are based on over 30 years of international consulting experience, interviews with managers in diverse companies and organizations, and extension of basic findings in behavioral economics.

Generation X and the boomers: organizational myths and literary realities

An extensive literature search was conducted to better understand and to dispel the current stereotypes in the workplace regarding Generation X and Baby Boomers. For the purpose of the article Generation X consisted of those born between 1961 and 1981, while Baby Boomers consisted of those born between 1943 and 1960. The purpose of this article was to use an exhaustive review of eclectic/multidisciplinary literature to address six commonly held myths presented by Paul and Townsend (1993). Furthermore, it was intended to examine empirical research gathered by a literature review of the stereotypes in the workplace, to better understand the profiles and factors that motivate the Baby Boomers and Generation X, in conjunction with the following independent variables: age, productivity, motivation, training, and mentoring and job satisfaction. Selected hypotheses were tested suggesting Generation Xers are more productive, more motivated, easily trainable and exhibit higher job satisfaction levels as compared to Baby Boomers. Results were convergent and divergent in several cases worth noting. It is important for organizations to recognize the limitations that stereotypes create in the workplace. As was demonstrated by the varied research, Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are not dissimilar as employees; they possess more similarities than differences. Organizations need to engineer/design an environment of respect for both groups to create synergies between them to build and maintain a productive workforce.

Performance Measurement Myths in the Public Sector: A Research Note

Abstract: Public sector organizations have recently come under increasing criticism for placing too much emphasis on financial control as well as suffering from excessive proliferation of performance indicators. A solution to both these problems has been presented in the form of various strategic, goal‐directed and multidimensional models for performance measurement (PM), such as the Balanced Scorecard. Whilst originally developed in the private sector, there are growing signs of such models diffusing to the public sector. In the present paper, we interpret changes such as those outlined above in terms of emerging and declining organizational myths and draw on institutional theory and the organizational learning literature to discuss how such myths may impinge on organizational action. It is concluded that PM myths based on goal‐directed, multidimensional models may gradually replace the myth that public service provision may be improved by heavy reliance on financial control and come to affect operating‐level action. However, such models may be ‘corrupted’ or prevail alongside seemingly incompatible PM myths depending on differences in implementation processes and the rhetoric invoked to legitimise a goaldirected, multidimensional PM approach.

Mythmaking and Knowledge Sharing: Living organizational myths and the broadening of opportunity structures for knowledge sharing in a Scandinavian engineering consultant company

With examples from Scandiaconsult, a Scandinavian engineering consultant company, this paper is an exploration of some of the constructive mythological aspects of living knowledge emerging in the symbolic interaction of organizational work life. Framed within the overall challenge of organizational knowledge sharing, and the approach of the communal resource as a (partial) solution to that, we more specifically look at ways of broadening the opportunity structures for knowledge sharing through the twin principles of organizational myths and rituals – as processes whereby people can identify and tap into the reservoir of living knowledge in the organization life, often in the realm of the informal or shadow organization. We explore in what ways the myths and rituals can leverage knowledge sharing especially in the face of distributed work environments inhabited by multiplex interested knowledge workers, and in our case with the additional challenge of mergers and acquisitions. We argue that active mythmaking is very far from manipulation or plain rhetoric, but rather a complex and interwoven processes of displaying cultural premises and transforming barriers and misbelieves into trustworthy relationships, and thus rendering possible conditions for lowering the costs of knowledge sharing. The mythmaking, of course, has to be deeply interwoven with the already existing mythic reservoir.

Gendered heroes: male and female self‐representations of executive identity

Official organisational myths and storytelling constitute a powerful, persuasive force in both the public representation and the internal shaping of executive identity. Leaders of corportate culture are aligned with legendary heroes to promote images of the senior manager as a heroic and transformational leader. This process plays upon subconscious images, beliefs and expectations to reinforce the concept of leadership as archetype. Much of the persuasive power of leadership as archetype arises from the continual reclaiming and honouring of past and present leaders, within the ongoing stories of executive identity. For the most part, this process involves an active role of gendering that reiterates a hierarchical and masculinist paradigm of leadership, while it leaves female leadership as absence or “other”. In this paper, rather than focus on the issue of female leadership as “other”, the ongoing, if shifting nature of gendered organisational lives is taken to be a continuing given. From this given, examines the self‐representations of male and female executives within a framework of leadership as archetype. Argues that these self‐representations provide similar and parallel male and female paradigms of leadership, while they depict the “gendered heroes” of executive culture.

Acknowledging the female archetype: women managers’ narratives of gender

Women in management are marginalised by the continuing pervasiveness of heroic masculinism, the traditional and hierarchical form of management, which depicts executives as solitary (male) heroes engaged in unending trials of endurance. This theme of leadership as archetype is strengthened through official organisational myths and stories which function as vehicles of communication management to support organisational goals and to provide role models for aspiring executives. Calls have been made for new forms of writing and more women’s voices in women and management scholarship. Paradoxically, storytelling, which currently supports executive male norms, also provides a potential approach for women in management to break through the dominant masculinist appropriation of leadership. This paper examines women managers’ stories of gender within the context of organisational storytelling and heroic masculinism. These transformational narratives provide parallel but distinctive archetypes to heroic masculinity. At the same time, they present parodic inversions of the “slaying of monster” myths of traditional executive culture. These stories which women tell other women, create resilient images of women’s identities in management.

Learning failure in information systems development

Abstract. Abstract. Information systems development is a high‐risk undertaking, and failures remain common despite advances in development tools and technologies. In this paper, we argue that one reason for this is the collapse of organizational intelligence required to deal with the complexities of systems development. Organizations fail to learn from their experience in systems development because of limits of organizational intelligence, disincentives for learning, organizational designs and educational barriers. Not only have many organizations failed to learn, but they have also learned to fail. Over time they accept and expect poor performance while creating organizational myths that perpetuate short‐term optimization. This paper illustrates learning failure in systems development and recommends tactics for overcoming it.

Indecent Exposures: Theorizing Whistleblowing

'Whistleblowers' are defined as insiders who 'go public' in their criticism of the policy and/or conduct of powerful organizations. Their actions dramatize the more general issue of the relation between politics and truth, between power and knowledge and the institutions which sustain them. This is exemplified by those problems which arise out of the changing relation between scientific-technical expertise and the contemporary corporate system. The associated contradictions form the focus of this paper, in which the institutional and discursive characteristics of a cognitively efficacious technoscience are contrasted with the traditional premises of political action and the principles of political organization. The construction of innovation networks and the development of uncoupling practices are interpreted as working solutions to the problem of reconciling these otherwise distinct institutional imperatives with each other. These solutions, in their turn, presuppose the exercise of communication control over the scientific-technical and professional stratum, a control legitimated by a system of institutional and organizational myth and ceremony. The associated structurally generated dilemmas are thereby displaced onto individuals, a fraction of whom blow the whistle. This form of occupational 'suicide' is thus available for interpretation as either heroic or pathological. In this paper, however, the psychology of the whistleblower is viewed as less pertinent than the social construction and imputation of motives. The statistical (in)frequency of such behaviour is seen as being less pertinent than the extent and intensity of the controversy it promotes.

The Strategic Management of Corporate Myths

In a new approach, which departs from traditional modes of management, highly effective leaders can use the powerful tool of organizational myths as managerial interventions to inspire, indeed control, behavior and attitudes. The authors suggest a way to analyze or ‘map’ myths, evaluate their potency, determine if the myths conflict with strategic organizational goals and, where necessary, take action to build positive and supportive myths. The myths that have been used by effective organizations are presented in support of the concepts that are advanced by the authors.