ORGANISATIONAL STORYTELLING

Abstract

Literature suggested that little documented and published research had been done on the role of storytelling within management development (Greco 1996, McKenna 1999, Jardi and Pounder 2001). The purpose of this research was to firstly, explore through the use of thematic and systematic metaphoric analysis, whether the transformation process, from a literal to an allegorical equivalent story, revealed any emerging concepts and patterns, in the stories managers chose to relate from their literal experiences to their allegorical equivalents. Secondly, to explore the reaction of respondents to the transformation from experiential knowing to presentation knowing and whether they consider storytelling as a creative and effective alternative that could contribute to their knowledge enhancement and their experience of management development. The research investigated fifteen exam-equivalent assignments submitted by MBA students at Wits Business School registered for the Storytelling in Organisations elective. As part of the course the students were required to firstly write a literal story explaining the issues in their work environment, secondly they had to transform the literal story to an allegorical story and in the last instance the respondents had to highlight how the transformation process had enhanced their potential for creativity and innovation within their work environment, therefore contributing to management development (Christie 2007). In conclusion this research found the following: Across the 15 allegorical stories respondents placed the most emphasis on human characters who had ambition and drive which was successful and who received praise and recognition. Happiness and contentment as well as respectful and co-operative relationships were the most prevalent emotions and relationships described in allegorical stories. Most respondents described their stories within the context of villages and related places. That when respondents transformed literal stories to allegorical stories, or moved from experiential knowing into presentational knowing (Heron 1992) they experienced this process as a creative and effective alternative to the enhancement of knowledge, knowing and therefore, experienced storytelling as a contributor to their development as managers.