Developmental Magic? Two Takes on a Dialogue Conference
(2007) In Journal of Organizational Change Management 20(1). p.8-25- Abstract
- This paper draws on the metaphor of ‘magic’ to explore the role of dialogue conferences and subsequent activities as a tool for organizational development and change. It is argued that the magic metaphor is a useful means for critically assessing the role of dialogue conferences in developmental processes, as magic is essentially double-edged in nature. On the one hand, magic is an activity wherein the seemingly impossible is made to happen; on the other it is an activity of simple illusion whereby appearance is at odds with reality. In the empirical setting of a change project in a regional health authority in Sweden, the action research ambitions of development, participation and dialogue in the change effort are critically assessed.... (More)
- This paper draws on the metaphor of ‘magic’ to explore the role of dialogue conferences and subsequent activities as a tool for organizational development and change. It is argued that the magic metaphor is a useful means for critically assessing the role of dialogue conferences in developmental processes, as magic is essentially double-edged in nature. On the one hand, magic is an activity wherein the seemingly impossible is made to happen; on the other it is an activity of simple illusion whereby appearance is at odds with reality. In the empirical setting of a change project in a regional health authority in Sweden, the action research ambitions of development, participation and dialogue in the change effort are critically assessed. Against a backdrop of change fatigue and scepticism towards change, the unfolding of developmental processes set in train by an initial dialogue conference are assessed as a dynamic process of magic. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1385220
- author
- Ekman, Marianne and Huzzard, Tony LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2007
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Organizational change, organizational development, magic, participation, dialogue, action research, integrated care
- in
- Journal of Organizational Change Management
- volume
- 20
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 8 - 25
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:33846966618
- ISSN
- 0953-4814
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 17195fc8-9864-4707-8bcd-698e0907e15a (old id 1385220)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 13:23:23
- date last changed
- 2022-04-08 17:37:56
@article{17195fc8-9864-4707-8bcd-698e0907e15a,
abstract = {{This paper draws on the metaphor of ‘magic’ to explore the role of dialogue conferences and subsequent activities as a tool for organizational development and change. It is argued that the magic metaphor is a useful means for critically assessing the role of dialogue conferences in developmental processes, as magic is essentially double-edged in nature. On the one hand, magic is an activity wherein the seemingly impossible is made to happen; on the other it is an activity of simple illusion whereby appearance is at odds with reality. In the empirical setting of a change project in a regional health authority in Sweden, the action research ambitions of development, participation and dialogue in the change effort are critically assessed. Against a backdrop of change fatigue and scepticism towards change, the unfolding of developmental processes set in train by an initial dialogue conference are assessed as a dynamic process of magic.}},
author = {{Ekman, Marianne and Huzzard, Tony}},
issn = {{0953-4814}},
keywords = {{Organizational change; organizational development; magic; participation; dialogue; action research; integrated care}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{8--25}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{Journal of Organizational Change Management}},
title = {{Developmental Magic? Two Takes on a Dialogue Conference}},
volume = {{20}},
year = {{2007}},
}