In Praise of Paradox Persistence: Evidence from the Sydney Opera House Project

Abstract

Organizational paradoxes persist. In their persistence, they resist closure; we demonstrate how, by using an exemplary project, that of the construction of the Sydney Opera House. By analyzing paradoxes encountered in the construction of a notable contemporary architectural project, we discuss how dialogical interactions enable options to emerge in the form of responses that were not previously evident. Engaging paradoxes dialogically requires accepting rather than denying contradictions, meaning that rather than resolving them in favor of one pole or the other, the contradictions remain in play. Monologic interactions—favoring dominant and singular voices, rather than producing consensus—repress dissent, leading to conflict, through suppressing paradox.

More than a list: The Grand Challenges Approach and legitimate agents of social change

“…Firstly, as Archer and other philosophers have argued (see Arendt, 1958;Foucault, 1989;Nietzsche, 1886), our self-consciousness and the ability to articulate and argue for our reasoning is what defines us as human, political beings (in the Aristotelian sense). If we unconsciously or uncritically follow a social order, even if it is democracy or the GCA, we cease to be human, and are reduced to mechanistic beings, or cultural products ("Society's being", according to Archer, 2000: 86), "slaves" of others' meanings (according to Nietzsche,p.244) or beings of labour or fabrication (the "Homo Faber", according to Arendt,.…”

“…Politics can be strong forces and, in a democratic society, it is only competent arguments which can sustain democracy, social inclusion and justice. Thirdly, by asking the question, who is a legitimate agent of social change, we are inviting project managers to a) acknowledge their political responsibilities and obligations (Konstantinou, 2017;Locatelli et al, 2022); b) acknowledge that projects are arenas of commercial and geopolitical tensions, and fierce competition (Jensen et al, 2016;Lundin et al, 2015); c) acknowledge that power and political forces can transpire in the project and silence weaker, less privileged stakeholders who otherwise represent legitimate and rightful stakeholders in the project and our global community (Gaim et al, 2022;Zhu et al, 2019). We are opening up the debate to the issue of stakeholder legitimacy and the question of GCA's (or any other project's) management for or of stakeholders, as described by Huemann, Eskerod and Ringhofer (2016).…”

Organizational Paradox

“…On the other hand, paradox can generate energy and function as a source of creativity (Beech et al, 2004;Gaim et al, 2022;Miron-Spektor et al, 2011a). Paradoxes' double edgedness is reflected in this capacity both to perturb established certainties and release untapped creativity (Gaim, 2018;Schad et al, 2016: 6).…”

“…According to Putnam and colleagues (2016), more-than responses connect oppositional pairs that make up the paradox, moving outside of them or situating them in a new relationship. The early phases of the construction of the Sydney Opera House epitomize such a dynamic where members holding contradictory interests appreciated the importance of 'others', which gave rise to 'a collaborative expansion in which members abandon polarity and instead experimentally examine ways of embracing both in their pursuit of the aesthetic moment' (see Gaim et al, 2022). In the both-and and more-than approaches, experiencing paradox is seen as a generative process, a source of energy, in which poles that are paradoxical become accommodated through developing novel and creative synergy (Putnam et al, 2016).…”

How entrepreneurial practices balance art and business: Insights into creative entrepreneurship in the European film industry

“…Creative industries—industries that supply goods and services associated with ‘cultural, artistic, or entertainment value’ (Caves, 2000, p. 1)—are pervaded with tensions and paradoxes such as novelty versus familiarity, tradition versus innovation, autonomy versus collaboration and change versus stability (DeFillippi et al, 2007; Jones et al, 2016; Lampel et al, 2000). Although much progress has been done in studying tensions, paradoxes and contradictions at the levels of fields and organizations, how individuals deal with them deserves further exploration (Gaim, 2018; Gaim, Clegg, & Pina e Cunha, 2022; Miron‐Spektor et al, 2018; Pache & Santos, 2010; Pina e Cunha et al, 2019; Smets et al, 2015). Entrepreneurs in the creative industries can offer templates on how to manage tensions for the organizations characterized by a high degree of ambiguity, volatile consumer taste, knowledge, creativity and innovation (Lampel et al, 2000; Townley et al, 2009).…”