A narrative approach for organizational learning in a diverse organisation

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to construct an approach referred to as “the participatory narrative” for organizational learning in diverse organizations. The approach is grounded in an understanding of organizational learning as the process of social construction which is narratively mediated.

Design/methodology/approach

The participatory narrative is constructed theoretically. Additionally, the approach and its potential use are illustrated by means of a practical example.

Findings

It is shown that the participatory narrative enables interplay between various perspectives of diverse people. It makes it possible to overcome the temporal and spatial limits of organisational learning situations and helps to question self‐evident assumptions about diverse people and makes such assumptions visible and negotiable.

Research limitations/implications

The application of the participatory narrative is only highlighted with the help of an illustrative example.

Practical implications

The participatory narrative helps to stimulate people's empathetic orientation, which provides a basis for responses to the experiences and world‐views of other people. Thus, it helps people in diverse organizations to learn to become capable of imagining not only their own position but also the position of others.

Originality/value

This article contributes to prior literature by developing an awareness of the narrative mechanisms of language use in the field of organizational learning. The paper shows also that the transformative dynamic of narratively mediated organizational learning lies in the empowering recognition that organization members understand that they are the active authors of the stories.

Citation

Lämsä, A. and Sintonen, T. (2006), "A narrative approach for organizational learning in a diverse organisation", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 106-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665620610647818