Abstract
Very few models have been developed fromresearch on language in organizations, and those thatexist are usually very general. In addition, theassumptions on which they are based are not alwaysexplicit, which means that the limits of the modelsthemselves cannot be seen. After describing thecharacteristics of research that could be done onlanguage from an objectivist and a subjectivist stance,and specifying the limits of these two fundamental views, thispaper proposes an explicit model for understandinglanguage based on a symbolic interactionist stance, withemphasis on ascribing meaning and understanding language in the context of the interactivesituation in which it occurs. The interactive situationcomprises three fundamental components: theenvironmental, cognitive, and emotional contexts. In themodel, the tongue and psycholinguistic schemata of theindividuals concerned inevitably have a restrictiveeffect on the language used, and the language contextmay help make the speaker's remarks meaningful. The assumptions underlying the choice of asymbolic interactionist stance are described, and thepaper ends with some suggested avenues for researchrevealing new topics or new ways of studying oldtopics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Aktouf, O. La parole dans la vie de l'entreprise: Faits e t méfaits. Gestion. Revue internationale de gestion, 1986, 11(4), 31–37.
Andler, D. Calcul et représentation: Les sources. In D. Andler (Ed.), Introduction aux sciences cognitives. Collection “Folio/Essais.” Paris: Gallimard, 1992, pp. 9–46.
Argyris, C. Productive and counterproductive re asoning proce ss. In S. Srivastva (Ed.), The executive mind. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1983, pp. 25–57.
Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. Theory in practice: In creasing profesionnal effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1974.
Audet, M., Landry, M., & Déry, R. Science et résolution de problème: Liens, difficultés et voies de dépassement dans le champ des science s de l'administration. Philosophy of the Social Sciences/Philosoph ie des Sciences Sociales, 1986, 16, 409–440.
Axelrod, R, (Ed.). Structure of decision: The cognitive maps of political elites. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Unive rsity Press, 1976.
Beck, B. E., & Moore, L. F. Linking the host culture to organizational variables. In P. J. Frost, L. F. Moore, M. R. Louis, C.C. Lundberg and J. Martin (Eds.), Organizational culture. Beverly Hills: Sage, 1985, pp. 335–354.
Blakar, R. M. Language as a means of social power. In R. Romme tveit and R. M. Blakar (Eds.), Studies of language, thought and communication. London: Academic Press, 1979, pp. 104–145.
Blumer, H. Sociological implications of the thought of George He rbert Mead. American Journal of Sociology, 1966, 71(5), 535–548.
Boden, D. The business of talk. Cambridge, UK: Polity Pre ss, 1994.
Bougon, M. G. Uncovering cognitive maps: The self-Q technique. In G. Morgan (Ed.),Beyond method. Strategies for social research. Beverly Hills: Sage, 1983, pp. 173–188.
Bougon, M. G. Congregate cognitive maps: A unified dynamic theory of organization and strategy. Journal of Management Studies, 1992, 29(3), 369–389.
Bougon, M. G., Weick, K. E., & Binkhorst, D. Cognition in organizations: An analysis of the Utrecht Jazz Orchestra. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1977, 22, 606–639.
Burrell, G., & Morgan, G. Sociological paradigms and organisational analysis. London: He inemann Educational Books, 1979.
Chanlat, J.-F. (Ed.). L'individu dans l'organisation: les dimensions oubliées. Collection “Science s de l'administration.” Québec/Paris: Les Presse s de l'Universi té Laval/éditions ESKA, 1990.
Clancy, J. J. The in visible powers: The language of business. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1989.
Conger, J. A. Inspiring others: The language of leadership. Academ y of Managem ent Executive, 1991, 5(1), 31–45.
Cossette, P. (Ed.). Cartes cognitives et organizations. Collection “Science s de l'administration.” Québec/Paris: Les Presses de l'Université Laval/éditions ESKA, 1994. (a)
Cossette, P. Déve loppement d'une méthode systématique d'aide à la mise au point de la vision stratégique chez le propriétaire-dirigeant de PME: Une étude exploratoire. In Actes de la 39e Conféren ce an nu elle mon diale de l'In ternational Council for Small Business (ICSB). Strasbourg, 1994, pp. 73–82. (b)
Cossette, P., & Audet, M. Mapping of an idiosyncratic schema. Journ al of Managem ent Studies, 1992, 29(3), 325–347.
Cossette, P., & Audet, M. Qu'est-ce qu'une carte cognitive? In P. Cossette (Ed.), Cartes cognitives et organ isations, Collection “Sciences de l'administration.” Québec/Paris: Le s Presse s de l'Université Laval/éditions ESKA, 1994, pp. 13–33.
De Saussure, F. Cours de linguistique générale (1st éd., 1916). Paris: Payot, 1989.
Dearborn, D. C., & Simon, H. A. Selective perception: A note on the departmental identifications of exe cutive s. Sociometry, 1958, 21, 140–144.
Deetz, S. Metaphors and the discursive production and reproduction of organization. In L. Thayer (Ed.), Communication-organization. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1986, pp. 168–182.
Denis, M. Image et cognition. Paris: Presses Unive rsitaires de France, 1989.
Dolan, S. L., & Lamoureux, G. Initiation à la psychologie du travail. Bouche rville, Québec: Gaëtan Morin, 1990.
Donnellon, A. Language and communication in organizations: Bridging cognition and behavior. In H. P. Sims, Jr. and D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 136–164.
Donnellon, A., Gray, B., & Bougon, M. Communication, me aning and organized action. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1986, 31, 43–55.
Downey, H. K., & Brief, A. P. How cognitive structures affect organizational design: Implicit theories of organizing. In H. P. Sims, Jr & D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 165–190.
Dutton, J. E., Fahey, L., & Narayanan, V. K. Toward understanding strategic issue diagnosis. Strategic Managem ent Journal, 1983, 4, 307–323.
Eden, C., & Huxham, C. Action rese arch for the study of organizations. In S. R. Clegg, C. Hardy, & W. R. Nord (Eds.), Handbook of organization studies. London: Sage, 1996, pp. 526–542.
Eden, C., Jones, S., & Sims, D. Messing about in problems. Oxford: Pergamon, 1983.
Evered, R. The language of organization: The case of the Navy. In L. R. Pondy, P. J. Frost, G. Morgan, and T. C. Dandridge (Eds.), Organization al symbolism. Gree nwich, CT: JAI Press, 1983, pp. 125–144.
Evered, R., & Louis, M. R. Alternative perspectives in the organizational sciences: “Inquiry from the inside” and “inquiry from the outside. Academy of Managem ent Review, 1981, 6, 385–395.
Fiol, C. M., & Huff, A. S. Maps for manage rs: Where are we? Whe re do we go from here? Journal of Man agement Studies, 1992, 29(3), 267–285.
Ford, J. D., & Hegarty, W. H. Decision make rs' beliefs about the cause s and e ffects of structure: An exploratory study. Academ y of Management Journal, 1984, 27, 271–291.
Friedlander, F. Patterns of individual and organizational learning. In S. Srivastva (Ed.), The executive mind. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1983, pp. 192–220.
Gioia, D. A. Symbols, scripts, and sensemaking: Creating meaning in the organizational experience. In H. P. Sims, Jr. and D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organ ization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 49–74. (a)
Gioia, D. A. Conclusion: The state of the art in organizational social cognition: A personal view. In H. P. Sims, Jr. and D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organization: dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 336–356. (b)
Gioia, D. A., Donnellon, A., & Sims, H. P. Jr. Communication and cognition in appraisal: A tale of two paradigms. Organization Studies, 1994, 10(4), 503–530.
Girin, J. Le siège vertical: Vivre e t communique r dans une tour de bureaux. Annales des mines-Gérer et compren dre, 1987, 9, 4–14.
Girin, J. Problèmes du langage dans les organisations. In J.-F. Chanlat (Ed.), L'individu dans l'organ isation: Les dimen sions ou bliées. Colle ct ion “Scie nce s de l'administration.” Québec/Paris: Les Presses de l'Université Laval/éditions ESKA, 1990, pp. 37–77.
Gray, B., Bougon, M. G., & Donnellon, A. Organizations as constructions and destructions of meaning. Journal of Management, 1985, 11(2), 83–98.
Grize, J.-B. Logique nature lle e t représentations sociale s. In D. Jodelet (Ed.), Les représentations sociales. Paris: Pre sse s Unive rsitaires de France, 1989, pp. 152–168.
Isenberg, D. J. The structure and proce ss of understanding. In H. P. Sims, Jr., and D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 238–262.
Janis, I. L. Victims of groupthink. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
Kuhn, T. S. The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: Unive rsity of Chicago Press, 1970.
Landry, M. A note on the concept of “problem.” Organization Studies, 1995, 16(2), 315–343.
Lord, R. G., & Foti, R. J. Schema theories, information processing, and organizational behaviors. In H. P. Sims, Jr. and D. A. Gioia (Eds.). The thinking organization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 20–48.
Mangham, I. L. Power and performance in organ izations. Oxford: Basic Blackwell, 1986.
March, J., & Simon, H. Organizations. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1958.
Mintzberg, H. The nature of managerial work. New York: Harpe r and Row, 1973.
Morgan, G. Qualitative and action based research. In Actes du colloque “Perspective de recherche pour le praticien.” Rouyn: Unive rsité du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 1985, pp. 81–109.
Morgan, G. Images de l'organisation. Collection “Sciences de l'administration.” Québec: Les Presses de l'Université Laval; Paris: éditions ESKA, 1989.
Moscovici, S. Communications processes and the properties of language. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 3). New York: Academic Press, 1967, pp. 225–270.
Pfeffer, J. Management as symbolic action: The creation and maintenance of organizational paradigms. In L. L. Cummings and B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior. Gree nwich, CT: JAI Press, 1981, pp. 1–52.
Pondy, L. R. The role of metaphors and myths in organization and in the facilitation of change. In L. R. Pondy, P. J. Frost, G. Morgan, and T. C. Dandridge (Eds.), Organizational symbolism. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1983, pp. 157–166.
Pondy, L. R., & Mitroff, I. I. Beyond open system models of organization. In B. M. Staw (Ed.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 1). Gree nwich, CT: JAI Press, 1979, pp. 3–39.
Rimé, B. Langage e t communication. In S. Moscovici (Ed.), Psychologie sociale. Paris: Presses Universitaire s de France, 1984, pp. 415–446.
Sapir, E. Culture, language and personality. Berkeley: Unive rsity of California Press, 1964.
Schein, E. Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Josse y-Bass, 1985.
Silverman, D. The theory of organizations. New York: Basic Books, 1971.
Smircich, L. Studying organizations as cultures. In G. Morgan (Ed.), Beyond method. Strategies for social research. Beverly Hills: Sage, 1983, pp. 160–172.
Smolenski, P. IA connexionniste, IA symbolique e t ce rveau. In D. Andler (Ed.), In troduction aux sciences cognitives. Collection “Folio/ Essais.” Paris: Gallimard, 1992, pp. 77–106.
Stubbart, C. I., & Ramaprasad, A. Probing two chief executives schematic knowledge of the U.S. steel industry using cognitive maps. In R. Lamb and P. Shrivastava (Eds.), Advances in strategic managem ent. Greenwich, CT: JAI Pre ss, 1988, pp. 139–164.
Susman, G. I., & Evered, R. D. An assessment of the scientific merits of action research. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1978, 23, 582–603.
Watzlawick, P. La réalité de la réalité. Paris: Seuil, 1978.
Weick, K. E. The social psychology of organizing. (2nd éd.). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1979.
Weick, K. E., & Bougon, M. G. Organizations as cognitive maps: Charting ways to sucess and failure. In H. P. Sims, Jr. and D. A. Gioia (Eds.), The thinking organization: Dynamics of organizational social cognition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986, pp. 102–135.
Whorf, B. Linguistique et anthropologie. Paris: Denoël-Gonthier, 1969.
Wilson, D., & Sperber, D. Ressemblance et communication. In D. Andler (Ed.), Introdu ction aux sciences cognitives. Collection “Folio/Essais.” Paris: Gallimard, 1992, pp. 219–238.
Winograd, T. What does it mean to understand language ? Cognitive Science, 1980, 4, 209–241.