WHEN THE GLASS IS HALF FULL AND HALF EMPTY: CEOs' AMBIVALENT INTERPRETATIONS OF STRATEGIC ISSUES

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Plambeck, Nils; Weber, Klaus
• 署名单位: Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) Paris; Northwestern University
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.835
• 发表日期: 2010
• 页码: 689-710
• 关键词: ambivalence; SENSEMAKING; strategic issue diagnosis; organizational mindfulness; MANAGERIAL COGNITION; ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

摘要

Organizational scholars have highlighted the importance of interpretive ambivalence for mindfulness, creativity, and strategic change. Ambivalence occurs when an issue is seen simultaneously as positive and negative. We examine organizational factors that influence the propensity of organizational leaders to evaluate a new strategic issue ambivalently. Data come from a survey of 220 German CEOs confronted with the enlargement of the European Union. We.find that CEOs of firms with a more ambidextrous strategic orientation and a moderate sense of organizational control over their environment are most likely to be ambivalent about this issue. Our,findings affirm the prevalence of interpretive ambivalence at the executive level and suggest ways for organizations to promote or prevent ambivalence in strategic sensemaking. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.