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The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
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Implementation Activities and Organizational Sensemaking

Inger Stensaker

NHH Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration

Joyce Falkenberg

University of Agder

Kjell Grønhaug

NHH Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration

Corporate change initiatives trigger a series of activities aimed at implementing change. It is often assumed that successful implementation requires consistent action based on a shared understanding of the changes among employees. This article examines how implementation activities affect individual and organizational sensemaking processes and thereby contribute to a shared understanding and consistent change action. Based on inductive analyses of longitudinal data, the study suggests that many implementation activities focus predominantly on further planning and creating a cognitive understanding among change recipients prior to any action. Although participation in planning activities facilitates sensemaking at the individual level, it neither ensures organizational sensemaking nor necessarily leads to collective action. The limitations of cognitively focused implementation activities are discussed, followed by suggestions on how change agents can supplement these with activities aimed at sensemaking through action.

Key Words: corporate change • implementation of change • change management • sensemaking theory

This version was published on June 1, 2008

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Vol. 44, No. 2, 162-185 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0021886307313794
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