Narrative
We live in a quantitative World
Does quantitative research give meaning?
A descriptive theory is a narrative
Normative theories are common narratives
Ricoeur argues that there is an integral connection between narrative and action.
Narratives lead individuals to intervene in the course of things. The action derives from
intention or motivation, based on the particular narratives of an individual, irrespective of whether these are self
generated, after appropriation from a culture.
Drummond argues ‘that narrative is the fundamental scheme for linking individual human action and events into interrelated aspects of an understandable composite’.
Drummond argues organisation culture, leadership, conflict and change are narratives. One way of framing this is that organisation culture is composed of many narratives with enough coherence between them to give a sense of the
whole’.36 Change occurs when new narratives replace old narratives. If the change is superficial, then the narratives
could be described as morphostatic; (changing the chairs on the Titanic would not stop the ship sinking); or morphogenic;
where things will never be the same again’.37 Hence, it can be argued that the linking of strategy and complexity through
narrative theory collectively extends each theory and provides a theoretical underpinning to understand better these
concepts and the linkages between them.
A theoretical link must now be made between narrative and strategy and again the work of
Ricoeur is instructive, beginning with narrative and the individual. This will lead us to make the
connection between narrative and organisational strategy which in turn leads to the concept of identification since an organisation’s strategy
requires individuals (members of the organisation) it identify with it, or support it, at least in some
minimal ways.
Optimum Region of Awareness
Emotional Disturbances
Future Orientation
Past Orientation
Inte
rnal
Loc
us o
f Con
trol
Exte
rnal
Loc
us o
f Con
trol
All narrative comes from our emotional orientation
Story
Narrative as a story
• The way that stories are told, how meaning is constructed to achieve the understanding of the audience.
• Groups events into cause and effect – action and inaction.• Organises time and space in very compressed form.• The voice of the narrative can vary; whose story is being
told and from whose perspective?• Narrative plot refers to everything audibly or visibly
present, i.e. selective.• Narrative story refers to all the events, explicitly
presented or referred.
• As children we listen to fairytales and myths/legends. As we grow older, we read short stories, novels, history and biographies.
• Religion is often presented through a collection of “stories/moral tales” e.g. the Bible, the Ramayana, etc.
• Scientific breakthrough is often presented as stories of an experimenter/scientist’s trials.
• Cultural phenomena such as plays, films, dance and paintings tell stories.
• News events are told as stories.• Dreams are retold as stories.
We use narratives or stories to make sense of our lives and the world around us. There different ways in which we use the narrative form:
The world is seen from our own perspective – our narrative
Memory is in “I” & “Me” Mode
Meaning• Dear Honorable Dato'/Prof./Assoc.Prof./Dr./Mr/Mrs/Miss,
Kindly be informed that there will be a talk on "Science of Knowledge", scheduled as follows :
Date : 9th September 2011 (Friday)Time : 3.00 pm ~ 4.30 pm Venue : PPIPT Meeting Room, Block A Attendance : Compulsory to all academic staffsSpeaker : Honorable Prof. Dato' Wira Dr. Mohd Salleh Bin Hj Din
Your commitment and attendance is deeply appreciated.
Thanking in advance.
Confidence?
The Things we thinkThe things we do
The intentions we haveThe things we buy
Are all governed by our own stories
Meaning
We give symbols common meaning to form society’s narrative
A Product is a Narrative
Stories we construct
Stories we construct shape our assumptions, beliefs and values
Culture is a story
Leadership
Theories in action verses Espoused
Norms and group behaviour Organisational
learning (single or double looped
Productivity & effectiveness
Stories, myths, heroes, artifacts, informal behaviours
Innovate --------------------------Avoid mistakesThink long term--------------------Live for todaySave money----------------Spend for the futureWork by oneself---------------Work as a groupBe flexible------------- Follow rules and normsCollaborate-------------------------------Compete
Make your own decisions---Make joint decisions
Value is socially constructed
How do you know?
How many stories are there here?
Narrative gives meaning – without narrative there is no meaning
Stereotyping
True Self (Universal awareness)
Spiritual Awareness
Ego Awareness
Social Awareness
Material Awareness
Physical Awareness
Spiritual Self
Ego Self
Social Self
Material Self
Primal Self
Physical Sensations
Perception
Society
We have multiple narratives in ourselves
What Emotions are they feeling?
Nervous Energetic Determined
Courage
Passionate
Excited
intimidated
Anxious
Overwhelmed Competitive Challenging
Green are positive, Red are negative and yellow emotions can go either way
Courage
Passionate
intimidated
Determined
Energetic
Overwhelmed
Anxious
Challenging
The different sets of emotions will heavily
influence performance.
Awkward
Passionate
Tense
Confident
Shy
Scared
Excited
Confused
“Big-headed”
Overwhelmed
Different weight and balance of emotions may produce different behaviour & performance
Parent
Adult
Child
Parent Ego State Behaviours, thoughts
and feelings copied from parents and parent figures.
Adult Ego State Behaviours, thoughts
and feelings are direct responses to here and now.
Child Ego State Behaviours, thoughts
and feelings are replayed from childhood.
Parent Parent
Adult Adult
Child Child
Transactional Analysis relationship Dynamics
You Me
Parent
Adult
Child
Controlling Parent Nurturing Parent
Controlling Adult Nurturing Adult
Creative ChildImmature Child
Archetypes
• The hero (seeking something)• The Villain (opposing the hero)
• The donor/benefactor/provider (a helper)• The dispatcher (sends the hero on his/her way)
• The false hero (falsely assuming the role of the hero)• The helper (assisting the hero)
• The princess (seeking protection of the hero)
Our different selves can be considered archetypes
Dominant Logic
The way people deal with events and situations in life. Dominant logic consists of a mental
map which orientates a person. It can either inhibit or enhance learning, growth and
fulfillment.
Dominant Logic
• Our behaviour, focus and the way people act • A set of ideas about ourselves and the world • Personal rules and experiences • A reflection of our success, failure, and
indifference• Something that is invisible, internal • An organisation's genetic code • An organisation's operating system
Where can we use Narrative?
• In the classroom – aid to learning/understanding• Research – developing descriptive theory• Marketing – Branding• Entrepreneurship research (The Republic of Tea)• Organizational Analysis• Political analysis• Social analysis• Self & Identity • Creativity Research
Reductionist Quantitative Research
But what is it really?
You might learn a lot about a little bit
Holistic Qualitative Research
Traps & Filters
Developing Your frames
Emergent In a stance of anticipation
Reflective In a stance of learning
Narrative
A Meta-Theory Trap & Filter
Culture (Values, Beliefs & Assumptions)
Emotions
Transactional Analysis and/or Field Theory
Typologies