Paradox Management (eBook)

Contradictions and Tensions in Complex Organizations

Jan Heiberg Johansen (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2018 | 1st ed. 2019
XV, 193 Seiten
Springer International Publishing (Verlag)
978-3-319-94815-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Paradoxes emerge everywhere in organizational theory and management practice. This book is a theoretically grounded presentation of the strategic and historical context of organizational paradoxes, exploring the paradoxes in organizational management and the available tactics to manage them. Based on 700 academic sources in the paradox literature, it presents paradox management as a nuanced and coherent perspective. In presenting and integrating the vast literature on the subject, it contributes new knowledge on how and why the paradox concept was introduced into management theory, how and why conflicting ideals of management can produce organizational contradictions, and how paradoxes can be managed.

Jan Heiberg Johansen, MBA, MA, is the Director of Consulting at the City of Copenhagen's internal consultancy.

Inhalt

Preface 5
Contents 7
About the Author 10
List of Figures 11
List of Tables 13
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Quest for Value 14
Understanding Organizations Through Paradox 16
Paradox Management as a Buzzword and as the Road to Hell 18
Paradoxes and Tactics Define Value Creation 19
First-Hand Experiences of Paradox 24
Vaccinating Against Over-Simplifying Organizational Theory 26
The Structure of the Book 28
Bibliography 29
Part I: The External Context 32
The Atlas of Value Creation 32
Chapter 2: The Strategic Context: The Mother of Paradox 33
Scarcity: In Need of Time, Skills, and Money 36
Environmental Change: Confusion Logics in Management 40
Institutional Plurality: New Rules of the Game Challenge Value Creation 44
Chapter Summary: Challenged Organizational Boundaries Produce Paradoxes 50
Bibliography 51
Chapter 3: The Historical Context: Contradictory Ideals of Management 55
Authority and Autonomy: Reason as Much as You Like, But Obey 57
The Interest Paradigm: Organize to Combat Paradoxes 60
The Design Paradigm: Eliminate Paradoxes 62
The Needs Paradigm: Build Relations to Guard Against Paradoxes 64
The Knowledge Paradigm: Inspire to Overcome Paradoxes 66
The Complexity Paradigm: Release the Organization 67
Chapter Summary: Paradox Theory Is a Corrective and a Supplement to Traditional Organizational Theory 68
Bibliography 72
Part II: The Organizational Paradoxes 76
Paradoxical Tensions in Management 76
Chapter 4: The Foundation: A New Perspective on Management in Complexity 77
The Paradox Concept: The Birth and Expansion of an Alluring Concept 82
Contradictions: The Root System and Wingspan of Paradoxes 89
Tensions: Paradoxes Are Experienced as Tensions 91
Chapter Summary: Paradoxes Unite Theory Positions 95
Bibliography 96
Chapter 5: The Paradox Types: Tensions in Organizing, Performance, Belonging, and Learning 102
Organizing: Barriers for the Post-Bureaucratic Organization 104
Paradoxical Boundary Lines 105
Functional, Dysfunctional Demarcations 106
Fixation and Distribution of Authority 108
From Top and Bottom to Rigidity and Flow 111
Performing: When You Reach the Crossroads, Go to the Left and to the Right 113
The Construction of Performance 114
Stretch Goals and Realistic Goals 116
Role Divergence and a 12-Pointed Star 117
Belonging: You, Me, Us, and Them 120
Belonging Paradoxes and Value Creation 121
Elasticity of Belonging 122
Learning: Tensions of Time 126
Time Paradoxes 127
Chapter Summary: Paradoxes Produce Devastating and Constructive Outcomes 131
Bibliography 132
Part III: The Management Tactics 137
Value Creation in Strategic and Everyday Management 137
Chapter 6: Paradox Tactics: Avoid, Activate, Transcend 138
Tactical Logics: The Organizational Ability to Create Value 143
Avoidance: Avoid Paradoxes 146
Separation Tactics 147
Temporal Separation 147
Domain Separation 148
Spatial Separation 149
Selection Tactics 150
Opposition 151
Symbolic Compliance 152
Defense Mechanisms 153
Activation: Activate Paradoxes 154
Neutralization and Balance Tactics 155
Forced Merger Tactics 157
Connection Tactics 159
Oscillation Tactics 160
Paradoxical Thinking 163
Transcendence: Transcend Paradoxes 164
Turning Points: Renew the Organizational Ability to Create Value 168
Chapter Summary: A New Language on Managing Complexity 172
Bibliography 174
Chapter 7: Value Creation: Paradoxes as a Holistic Perspective on Management 180
The Building Blocks: The Platform of Paradox Management 181
Management Practice: Identify and Confront Organizational Paradoxes 184
Chapter Summary: Value Creation Through Tensions 189
Bibliography 189
Concluding Remarks. Optimism and Skepticism in the Quest for Value 191
Index 193

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.8.2018
• Zusatzinfo: XV, 193 p. 20 illus.
• Verlagsort: Cham
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
• Schlagworte: complex organizations • Leadership • Management Theory • paradox management • paradox tactics • Paradox Theory • Value Creation
• ISBN-10: 3-319-94815-6 / 3319948156
• ISBN-13: 978-3-319-94815-7 / 9783319948157