The symbolic impact of double bind leadership: double bind and the dynamics of organizational culture

Article Abstract:

Members of an organization are supposedly led, but very often they do not see the way. On the contrary, they are exposed to conflicting management signals and caught in double bind situations. Double bind connotes a situation where conflicting messages occur, but where it is vitally important to discern what message is being communicated, and where the individual is unable to comment upon the ambiguity. The result is that the individual is not capable of meta communication and thus incapable of learning about the situation. We presume that the double bind phenomenon can often be found in organizations. In extreme cases this creates 'double bind organizations' in which the members are continuously confronted with double bind situations. The members become incapable of exploring the existing models of organizational behaviour. Organizational dynamics emerge 'behind the back' of people in the organization. The organization's meaning horizon is narrowed due to a lack of authentic dialogue. Attempted changes of organizational direction are experienced as just another double bind, and attempted changes of the double bind patterns become victims of the logic they attempt to alter. In such cases, the organization could be said to be characterized by a form of institutionalized learning incompetence. Understanding the double bind phenomenon should be seen as being important for managing organizations in general, and for the change and the management of change in particular. (reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Organizational behavior

---

The effects of goal emphasis on performance on a complex task

Article Abstract:

This article reports the results of a naturally occurring field experiment which took place in the Judge Advocate function of the Tactical Air Command (TAC), a major command within the US Air Force. Official Air Force goals for courts-martial processing time had existed for years but generally were ignored because they were considered unrealistic and unimportant. A new TAC staff advocate decided that processing time should be improved and took steps to emphasize goal attainment through various procedures. The result was a significant improvement in courts-martial processing time as compared to the rest of the Air Force where no such emphasis occurred. The implications of the results for goal setting theory and leadership are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Human resource management, Goal setting, Courts-martial and courts of inquiry, Court martial, Action theory, United States. Air Force. Tactical Air Command

---

Context and action in the transformation of the firm

Article Abstract:

The relationship between effective leadership and successful organizational change is examined. Topics discussed include: an outline of current literature on the subject; the theoretical and analytical bases of strategic change methods at Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI); empirical findings from the ICI study; and the body of research being compiled at the University of Warwick's Centre for Corporate Strategy and Change.

Management, Case studies, Organizational change, Strategic planning (Business), Imperial Chemical Industries PLC

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Maintaining leadership legitimacy in the transition to new organizational forms. Communities of practice, Foucalt and actor-network theory
• Abstracts: Organizational dysfunctions of decline. The romance of leadership and the evaluation of organizational performance
• Abstracts: A review and analysis of power dynamics in organizational romances. Managing employee trauma: dealing with the emotional fallout from 9-11
• Abstracts: Towards a market imperfections theory of organizational structure in developing countries
• Abstracts: The paradox of independent relations in the field of social issues in management. Convergence-divergence: a temporal review of the Japanese enterprise and its management

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.