Sensemaking and sensegiving in strategic change initiation

A Review of The Empirical Ethical Decision-Making Literature: 1996–2003

“…An example can be found in the notion of sensemaking, which refers to the idea that individuals are continuously bombarded by ambiguous environmental and organizational information that must be somehow noticed, interpreted, and acted upon (e.g., Milliken, 1990;Weick, 1979). As such, sensemaking involves the reciprocal interaction of scanning (i.e., information seeking), interpretation, and action (Gioia and Chittipeddi, 1991). Although interpretation, which refers to the process by which the ambiguous information is structured so that it may provide meaning, significance, and a basis for action (Milliken, 1990), and action are explicitly included in Rest's framework, the notion of scanning is not explicitly included.…”

Leadership Styles and CSR Practice: An Examination of Sensemaking, Institutional Drivers and CSR Leadership

“…These are clever techniques often used by organisational development specialists or professionals to create change, and here they are clearly being used alongside explicit CSR. Some researchers call the use of techniques to influence sensemaking, 'sensegiving' (Gioia and Chittipeddi, 1991) and claim sensegiving is a 'fundamental leadership activity within organisational sensemaking' (Maitlis, 2005, p. 22). However, the perception that one is 'sensegiving' is arguably also learned through a sensemaking process: the CSR Team Manager also described how she and the CSR team developed this influence strategy through a process of trial and error, retrospectively interpreting that their influence techniques had achieved the desired outcomes.…”

Strategy Development: Conceptual Framework on Corporate Social Responsibility

“…Sensemaking is a core element because it is the primary site where meanings materialize that inform and constrain identity and action (Mills, 2003, p. 35). Sensemaking is also about organizing through communication: Gioia and Chittipeddi (1991) present a variant of sensegiving, undertaken to create meanings for a target audience (e.g., insider versus outsider). Moreover, Wright's (2004) conception of enhancing inductive strategizing through sensemaking and scenario thinking provides a theoretical examination of their roles in enhancing inductive strategizing.…”