Counter-narratives and Organization

Counter-Narratives and Organization aims to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the nature of counter-narratives and their capability to stabilize and destabilize an organization. There is a rich tradition of studying narratives in fields of communication, organization and management research. However, counter narratives and their importance to the organization’s identity formation, legitimacy and credibility has been overlooked.

Dominant narratives about ‘who we are as an organization’ are often crafted by management and strategically communicated internally and externally to the organization’s stakeholders. However, counter-narratives may contest or negotiate such dominant narratives, and thereby create tensions among differing understandings of identity, values, vision and mission, or make already-existing tensions salient. Counter-narratives can thus be destabilizing forces for organizations, a threat that has been increasing along with the changing media landscape. Counter-narrative may, however, also hold productive potential for restabilization as well as organizational development and innovation.

Aimed at scholarly researchers and academics in the field, this edited volume draws upon case-based research from both humanities and social sciences to expand the scientific and practical potential of counter-narrative in and around organizations.

.

Sanne Frandsen is Assistant professor in the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management; Copenhagen Business School, Denmark