When Sensemaking Remains Local: Implications for Distributed Sensemaking in Reform Implementation
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| Title: | When Sensemaking Remains Local: Implications for Distributed Sensemaking in Reform Implementation |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Filstad, Cathrine, Olsen, Trude Høgvold, Thomassen, Anja Overgaard |
| Source: | Journal of Workplace Learning. 2023 35(3):249-264. |
| Availability: | Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2023 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Police, Comprehension, Organizational Change, Foreign Countries, Program Implementation, Attitudes, Ambiguity (Context), Expectation |
| Geographic Terms: | Norway |
| DOI: | 10.1108/JWL-03-2022-0032 |
| ISSN: | 1366-5626 1758-7859 |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to the literature on distributed sensemaking by studying how the police establish and develop their new position as police contacts during the police reform. Design/methodology/approach: The authors studied how the position of police contact, a cornerstone of the recent Norwegian police reform, was interpreted and practised. The authors interviewed police contacts at two different times during reform implementation to explore how they made sense of and practised their job. Findings: The authors identified three interpretations of the position of police contact and describe them as ideal types--an administrative position, a professional position and a strategic position. The ideal types were reinforced rather than developing towards a shared understanding. Our data demonstrate that the sensemaking processes and experimentation to settle into the new position involved local actors internally in the police and externally in relation to local authorities, and reinforced local interpretations. Originality/value: This study supports the notion of sensemaking as distributed but extends previous research by suggesting that "ideal types" help us understand the content of interpretations. This study also extends the understanding by showing that distributed sensemaking takes place as individuals make sense of more open-ended problems. This challenges the understanding of the term distributed, because unless challenged, distributed sensemaking in isolated pockets of the organization remain local, and the authors suggest that the term local distributed sensemaking captures this phenomenon. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1374783 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to the literature on distributed sensemaking by studying how the police establish and develop their new position as police contacts during the police reform. Design/methodology/approach: The authors studied how the position of police contact, a cornerstone of the recent Norwegian police reform, was interpreted and practised. The authors interviewed police contacts at two different times during reform implementation to explore how they made sense of and practised their job. Findings: The authors identified three interpretations of the position of police contact and describe them as ideal types--an administrative position, a professional position and a strategic position. The ideal types were reinforced rather than developing towards a shared understanding. Our data demonstrate that the sensemaking processes and experimentation to settle into the new position involved local actors internally in the police and externally in relation to local authorities, and reinforced local interpretations. Originality/value: This study supports the notion of sensemaking as distributed but extends previous research by suggesting that "ideal types" help us understand the content of interpretations. This study also extends the understanding by showing that distributed sensemaking takes place as individuals make sense of more open-ended problems. This challenges the understanding of the term distributed, because unless challenged, distributed sensemaking in isolated pockets of the organization remain local, and the authors suggest that the term local distributed sensemaking captures this phenomenon. |
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| ISSN: | 1366-5626 1758-7859 |
| DOI: | 10.1108/JWL-03-2022-0032 |
