The Discourse of a Large Scale Organizational Transformation: The Reengineering of IBM, 1989-1994

In this paper we examine an organizational discourse on radical transformation by identifying and analyzing management narratives claiming to be representative of different organizational stakeholders. We do this from the perspective of Stakeholder Agency Theory (Hills and Jones 1996) and by employing analytical approaches typical of hermeneutics, historical analysis and the sociology of action. It concludes by offering current managers lessons from the experience at IBM and prospective topics and suggestions for other researchers. The reengineering of IBM 2 15/03/2002 Manuscript reference #: Reference DISC0059 The discourse of a Large Scale Organizational Transformation: The Reengineering of IBM 1989-1994. Abstract: In this paper we examine an organizational discourse on radical transformation by identifying and analyzing management narratives claiming to be representative of different organizational stakeholders. We do this from the perspective of Stakeholder Agency Theory (Hills and Jones 1996) and by employing analytical approaches typical of hermeneutics, historical analysis and the sociology of action. It concludes by offering current managers lessons from the experience at IBM and prospective topics and suggestions for other researchers. In this paper we examine an organizational discourse on radical transformation by identifying and analyzing management narratives claiming to be representative of different organizational stakeholders. We do this from the perspective of Stakeholder Agency Theory (Hills and Jones 1996) and by employing analytical approaches typical of hermeneutics, historical analysis and the sociology of action. It concludes by offering current managers lessons from the experience at IBM and prospective topics and suggestions for other researchers.