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Sensemaking and the distortion of critical upward communication in organizations

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 06:38 authored by Dennis TourishDennis Tourish, Paul Robson
Most research into feedback has focused on communication from managers to non-managerial staff. To a lesser extent, it has more recently addressed upward and 360 degree appraisal systems. In contrast, the role of informal upward communication continues to be largely neglected, especially when it concerns the transmission of opinions critical of managerial orthodoxy. There has been little examination of the sensemaking heuristics employed by both managers and non-managerial staff that stimulates the former to disregard much of the already muted critical upward communication they receive, and the latter to suppress its transmission in the first place. We therefore suggest that managers often over commit to particular courses of action, irrespective of whether they bode ill or well for the organization concerned. In so doing, they frequently demonize those who belong to stigmatized outgroups or who hold contrary value systems. We argue that the consequent elimination of critical upward communication (CUC) leads to iatrogenic phenomena – i.e. organizational problems that are derived from the treatment regime that has been prescribed, rather than from a pre-existing condition. Implications for practice and further research are considered.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Journal of Management Studies

ISSN

0022-2380

Publisher

Wiley

Issue

4

Volume

43

Page range

711-730

Department affiliated with

  • Business and Management Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-06-13

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