Creating dialogue by storytelling
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this paper is to develop practice and theory from Augusto Boal's dialogue technique (Image Theatre) for organisational use. The paper aims to examine how the members in an organisation create dialogue together by using a dramaturgical storytelling framework where the dialogue emerges from storytelling facilitated by symbolic representations of still images.
Design/methodology/approach
The study follows the lines of participatory action and art‐based research. The data are collected from 13 dramaturgical work story storytelling sessions in four different organisations. The research design belongs to the tradition of research‐based theatre, which implies artful inquiry, scripting and performance in research.
Findings
The paper presents a model for organisational dialogue. The model illustrates the dramaturgical storytelling of work story which influences problem shifting in a positive way.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of this study are related to the scope of the research. The Scandinavian cultural context facilitates an open, bottom up process. More case studies in different kinds of environments should be conducted. In the future it might be advantageous to conduct more longitudinal studies on how organisations can nurture continuous dialogue.
Practical implications
Work story as a dialogue practice facilitated members from the same occupational groups to share experiences with each other and construct common interests by investigating unstructured and uncertain social situations at work.
Originality/value
The paper combines research fields that explore art‐based initiatives within organisations, workplace learning and innovation research.
Keywords
Citation
Pässilä, A., Oikarinen, T. and Kallio, A. (2013), "Creating dialogue by storytelling", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 159-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665621311306547
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited