Beyond Sensegiving: Sensemaking Patterns by Management Groups in Strategic Innovation and Change: an Exploration, Framework and Process Model

This paper is an exploration of how sensemaking patterns amongst management groups influence the actual practices of strategising over extended periods of time. Using an eight-year longitudinal case study of a single strategic issue, (a strategic marketing innovation in a division of a global financial services company), the paper aims to advance the work of Gioia and Chittipeddi (1991) by exploring the microprocesses of sensegiving and other sensemaking patterns amongst management groups. In the first order analysis, four different patterns of sensemaking are identified: sensegiving, fragmented sensemaking, polarised sensegiving and communal sensemaking. In the second order analysis the paper explores deeper explanations for each of the patterns of the sensemaking processes by examining contextual variables and triggers for each sensemaking pattern. Finally, a phased model is presented for discussion which links the four sensemaking patterns together over time and in so doing, identifies a number of theoretical issues in the strategising process such as the dynamic patterns of actions and interactions between senior and middle managers, the integration of micro-politics and sensegiving patterns, the study of social action in sensemaking beyond strategic conversations and communications, and the dynamic nature of consensus and diversity.