ORGANISATIONAL STORYTELLING
Date
2011-04-05
Authors
du Preez, Anché
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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.
Description
MBA - WBS
Keywords
Storytelling in organisations, Management development