The DOI matches its Crossref record; 166 of the 167 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Complex Thinking, Complex Practice: The Case for a Narrative Approach to Organizational Complexity
Abstract
Complexity is not only a feature of the systems we study, it is also a matter of the way in which we organize our thinking about those systems. This second-order complexity invites consideration of the modes of thinking we use to theorize about complexity, and in this article we develop the idea of second-order complexity using Jerome Bruner’s contrast between logico-scientific and narrative modes of thinking. Using Bruner’s framework, we examine and critique dominant forms of thinking about organizational complexity that are rooted in the logico-scientific mode, and suggest alternatives based in the narrative mode. Our evidence for the value of doing this comes from the logic of complexity theory itself, which we claim indicates and supports the use of the narrative mode. The potential contribution of the narrative approach to developing second-order thinking about organizational complexity is demonstrated by taking a narrative approach to the matter of recursiveness. By extension, similar insights are indicated for other features that logico-scientific thinkers commonly attribute to complex systems, including, nonlinearity, indeterminacy, unpredictability and emergence.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Much of the literature is conceptual or theoretical in nature, introducing the complexity approach to a specific area of study (e.g.Leeuwis & Aarts, 2011), providing alternative views or methods to the analysis (e.g.Corman et al., 2002), or reflecting the use of complexity science in the communication research in general (e.g.Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
From Complexity and Organizational Communication: A Quest for Common Ground (2016) · cites this paper as Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001
Citations
Cites
A Mathematical Theory of Communication
Shannon, C. E. (1948) · Bell System Technical Journal · doi:10.1002/j.1538-7305.1948.tb01338.x · Cited by 88,486
A Mathematical Theory of Communication
Shannon, C. E. (1948) · The MIT Press eBooks · doi:10.1002/j.1538-7305.1948.tb00917.x · Cited by 50,387
(1984) · Cited by 21,166
The Interpretation of Cultures
Fenn, R. K., & Geertz, C. (1974) · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion · doi:10.2307/1384392 · Cited by 19,241
The Interpretation of Cultures
Dadze-Arthur, A. F. (2017) · Macat Library eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781912128310 · Cited by 16,510
Gioia, D. A., Mehra, A., & Weick, K. E. (1996) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/259169 · Cited by 15,616
The Social Construction of Reality
Rose, D. M., Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1967) · Modern Language Journal · doi:10.2307/323448 · Cited by 13,850
Modernity and Self-Identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age
Giddens, A. (2020) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781003060963-59 · Cited by 13,399
(1993) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/0002-8223(93)92196-5 · Cited by 12,205
(1969) · Virtual Defense Library (Ministerio de Defensa) · Cited by 10,735
Research works printed but not linked: 28
- Barrow, J., 1995, Nature’s imagination
- Capra, F., 1988, Uncommon wisdom
- Capra, F., 1996, The web of life
- Clemson, B., 1984, Cybernetics
- Czarniawska-Joerges, B., 1994, Communication Yearbook, 17, 193
- Davis, P., 1990, New Scientist, 1737, 48
- Dyke, C., 1990, The Philosophical Forum, 369
- Genette, G., 1992, The architext
- Kamminga, H., 1990, New Left Review, 181, 49
- MacIntyre, A., 1985, After virtue
- Meyerson, D., 1991, Reframing organizational culture
- Miller, J.G., 1978, Living systems
- Mulkay, M., 1988, On humor
- Pepper, S., 1942, World hypotheses
- Polanyi, M., 1975, Meaning
- Quinn, R., 1988, Paradox and transformation
- Salomon, G., 1993, Distributed cognitions
- Schauer, F., 1991, Playing by the rules
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226750224.001.0001 · DOI
- Shotter, J., 1993, Conversational realities
- Stewart, I., 1993, Predicting the future
- Tsoukas, H., 1994, New thinking in organizational behavior
- von Foerster, H., 1984, The invented reality
- von Glaserfeld, E., 1984, The invented reality
- Waddington, C., 1977, Tools for thought
- Waldrop, M.M., 1992, Complexity
- White, H., 1987, The content of the form
- Wilkins, A., 1983, Reframing organizational culture
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 201–300 of 487
Strategies in Universities: Tensions Between Macro Intentions and Micro Actions
Meyer, V., Pascuci, L. M., & Meyer, B. (2018) · Revista de Administração Contemporânea · doi:10.1590/1982-7849rac2018160081 · Cited by 12
“The primary data were analyzed using Narrative Analysis (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001), with meaning as the analysis technique.”
MethodOrganizing mindfully for relevant process research on strategic change
Guiette, A., Matthyssens, P., & Vandenbempt, K. (2014) · Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing · doi:10.1108/jbim-09-2013-0206 · Cited by 12
“As such, a complexity perspective yields a more accurate representation of the process and dynamics of complex phenomena such as strategic change (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundHow Organizations Engage with External Complexity: A Political Action Perspective
Child, J., & Rodrigues, S. B. (2012) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1057/9781137026088_2 · Cited by 12
Dubey, R. (2025) · Journal of Environmental Management · doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125860 · Cited by 12
Small tourism providers' stories about sustainability
Bertella, G. (2022) · Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights · doi:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100085 · Cited by 15
Development and validation of the Complex Thinking Assessment Instrument (CTAI)
Pacheco, C. S., & Herrera, C. I. (2023) · Thinking Skills and Creativity · doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101305 · Cited by 15
The role of theory building in the teaching of secondary geometry
Weiß, M., & Herbst, P. (2015) · Educational Studies in Mathematics · doi:10.1007/s10649-015-9599-x · Cited by 11
Systemic Human Relations in Dynamic Equilibrium
Wadsworth, Y. (2007) · Systemic Practice and Action Research · doi:10.1007/s11213-007-9080-6 · Cited by 11
Entrepreneurship and project management relationships
Fonrouge, C., Bredillet, C. N., & Fouché, C. (2018) · International Journal of Managing Projects in Business · doi:10.1108/ijmpb-01-2018-0013 · Cited by 11
“…inherent complexity of a research field, it seems relevant to focus on discourses and narratives held within the field in question, and to look at the “stories” told within the field to construct meaning out of them and gain a full picture of the field’s line of thought (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundEstratégia em contextos complexos e pluralísticos
Pascuci, L. M., & Meyer, V. (2013) · Revista de Administração Contemporânea · doi:10.1590/s1415-65552013000500003 · Cited by 16
Complexity and Organizational Communication: A Quest for Common Ground
Poutanen, P., Siira, K., & Aula, P. (2016) · Human Resource Development Review · doi:10.1177/1534484316639713 · Cited by 10
“…and language Narratives; discourse Contextualized and emergent discourse; complexity of conversation; argument as a chaotic system Luhman and Boje (2001); Tsoukas and Hatch (2001); Hawes (1999); Leeuwis and Aarts (2011); Isbell (2009); Bloom (2001) C5: Living activity Relational action; collective…”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialAgentic Misfit: An Empirical Demonstration of Non-Matching Human Agency amid Complexity
Poulis, K., Poulis, E., & Jackson, P. R. (2020) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/0170840620944552 · Cited by 11
Dawson, P., Farmer, J., & Thomson, E. (2011) · Journal of Management & Organization · doi:10.1017/s1833367200001589 · Cited by 10
Gaining Access to Intrafirm Knowledge: An Internal Market Perspective on Knowledge Sharing
Verbeke, W., Belschak, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P., & Wuyts, S. (2011) · Human Performance · doi:10.1080/08959285.2011.580804 · Cited by 10
“By considering the implications of their demeanor and actions on others, employees promote a narrative of kindness and consideration, which complements more formal narratives rooted in job descriptions (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundManaging Network Economies: The Competitive Advantage of Commons as Ecosystems of Innovation
Gatarik, E., & Born, R. (2015) · Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change · doi:10.1080/14779633.2015.1101246 · Cited by 9
“The special experiences and expertise necessary for ‘corrective’ use (cf. Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001) of all the information obtained, stored, processed, retrieved, and communicated are available to whoever uses them.”
BackgroundHo, J. M. P. Y., Ng, D. F. S., Chua, P. H., & Munir, N. B. (2021) · International Journal of Leadership in Education · doi:10.1080/13603124.2021.2010283 · Cited by 16
“This study suggests that the value proposition of CLT is precisely as an analytical lens or conceptual metaphor (Rosenhead et al., 2019; Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001) to help make sense of what happened, to help researchers see what might have been missed without this lens.”
Kann die Wissensspirale Grundlage des Wissensmanagements sein?
Schreyögg, G., & Geiger, D. (2003) · Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin) · doi:10.17169/refubium-21929 · Cited by 9
Sigahi, T. F. A. C., & Sznelwar, L. I. (2023) · Kybernetes · doi:10.1108/k-11-2022-1507 · Cited by 11
Misoczky, M. C. (2003) · Cadernos EBAPE BR · doi:10.1590/s1679-39512003000100002 · Cited by 9
Re-cognising the interactive space
Nolan, T., & Varey, R. J. (2014) · Marketing Theory · doi:10.1177/1470593114523444 · Cited by 9
“According to Tsoukas and Hatch (2001), appreciation of this paradox of enacting two contradictory policies simultaneously points to the existence of complexity.”
BackgroundInfluentialDeveloping Organizational Narratives: a New Dimension in Knowledge Management
Schreyögg, G., & Geiger, D. (2006) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1057/9780230371897_5 · Cited by 9
“Narrative knowledge is characterized as a kind of verbal life-world knowledge that is non-reflexive in character by contrast to discursive knowledge which is based on sound reasons and therefore reflexive in nature.”
BackgroundInfluentialThe Seduction of Best Practice
Kaplan, S. (2003) · Journal of Management Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1056492603258970 · Cited by 9
“They help us capture complexities of systems including nonlinearity, indeterminacy, unpredictability, and emergence (Bruner, 1986; Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundStorying Systems: Managing Everyday Flux Using Mode 2 Soft Systems Methodology
Gold, J. (2001) · Systemic Practice and Action Research · doi:10.1023/a:1011921102732 · Cited by 9
“How can managers understand chaos and complexity as a second-order reality? Tsoukas and Hatch (1997) suggest the employment of interpretive methods with an emphasis on narrative aspects whereby chaos and complexity are seen as metaphors, which can help us “generate new insights . . . expanding the possibilities for th…”
BackgroundWeiss, M. K. (2009) · Deep Blue (University of Michigan) · Cited by 9
Time Travelling: Organisational Foresight as Temporal ReflexityPreprint
Cunha, M. P. E. (2006) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.882044 · Cited by 9
Modelling in the ‘Muddled Middle’
Clifford-Holmes, J. K., Slinger, J. H., de Wet, C., & Palmer, C. G. (2017) · doi:10.1002/9781118974414.ch11 · Cited by 9
Development of scenarios for carbon capture and storage ECCO - European value chain for CO2
Jakobsen, J. P., & Brunsvold, A. L. (2011) · Energy Procedia · doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.168 · Cited by 8
“Scenario development or scenario analysis is a strategic planning method that some organizations use to make flexible long-term plans [2-6].”
BackgroundIdentity change in organizations: a philosophical exposition
Koskinen, K. U. (2015) · International journal of organizational analysis · doi:10.1108/ijoa-03-2012-0564 · Cited by 10
“More extensive process thinking research is needed because the traditional models provide only a partial picture of the world that evacuates the role of time (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001) and assume a state of equilibrium (Bromiley and Papenhausen, 2003; Meyer et al.”
MethodAn investigation into extracting and analysing stories
Ferneley, E. H., & Sobreperez, P. (2009) · International journal of organizational analysis · doi:10.1108/19348830910948968 · Cited by 8
Insights into the development of strategy from a complexity perspective
Gregory, A., & Ronan, M. (2014) · Journal of the Operational Research Society · doi:10.1057/jors.2014.27 · Cited by 8
“to help participants in the strategy-making process organize their thoughts, which is important as Tsoukas and Hatch (2001) reflect that complexity is ‘not only a feature of the system under study but also a matter of the way we organize our thinking Table 4 Goal evaluation criteria”
BackgroundGroup Model Building in a Pressure Cooker: A Field Experiment with Public Policy
Gerrits, L., & Vaandrager, D. (2017) · Systems Research and Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/sres.2446 · Cited by 8
“…nor practitioner can step outside the systemic whole and (ii) the system’s workings are best understood through experience with what works and what does not instead of trying to map the system on the basis of theoretical expectations (e.g. Gerrits, 2012; Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001; Wagenaar, 2007).”
BackgroundInvestigating work and learning through complex adaptive organisations
Lizier, A. L. (2017) · Journal of Workplace Learning · doi:10.1108/jwl-05-2016-0033 · Cited by 8
A Postdigital Perspective on Organisations
Reeves, T. (2018) · Postdigital Science and Education · doi:10.1007/s42438-018-0018-3 · Cited by 8
“Narrative knowledge has been shown to constitute an appropriate epistemological approach to analysing organisations as complex systems due to its ability to provide second-order thinking (Tsoukas and Hatch 2001).”
BackgroundComplexity Theory and Process Organization Studies
Anderson, P. W., & Meyer, A. D. (2016) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3309340 · Cited by 8
The dark side of narratives: challenging the epistemological nature of narrative knowledge
Geiger, D. (2008) · International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy · doi:10.1504/ijmcp.2008.018531 · Cited by 8
“Narratives are assumed to transfer or even to be organisational knowledge (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001; Gherardi and Nicolini, 2002) or they are seen as a medium for transferring tacit knowledge in”
BackgroundNew stories of mastery: constructive learning in the face of complex dilemmas of practice
Cherry, N. (2014) · Studies in Continuing Education · doi:10.1080/0158037x.2014.904781 · Cited by 8
La prise de décision clinique à l’épreuve des sens
Grosjean, S., & Matte, F. (2018) · Revue française des sciences de l’information et de la communication · doi:10.4000/rfsic.4161 · Cited by 7
Practice, complexity and evidence-based practice
Hurst, D. (2019) · BDJ · doi:10.1038/s41415-019-0423-3 · Cited by 7
Ready the Canons: The Role of Canonical Stories in Organizational Sensemaking
Dan Parrish, C. S. C. (2020) · International Journal of Business Communication · doi:10.1177/2329488420918389 · Cited by 7
“Stories serve as keys for unlocking truths about organizational members and their perspectives and feelings (Gabriel, 1991) and can help us understand organizational systems and how they work (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundZara, A., & Delacour, H. (2020) · Journal of Management Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1056492620949688 · Cited by 9
“Second, non-linearity, that is, non-proportional effects, underscores how small causes or simple institutional work can give rise to large effects that are unexpected (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundMethodMaking Sense of Change Through Simulation: Organizational Futures at Play
Meier, N., & Ingerslev, K. (2023) · Journal of Change Management · doi:10.1080/14697017.2023.2216204 · Cited by 7
Relationship Marketing and the Philosophy of Science: A Tribal Journey Through Relationship Quality
Vieira, A. L. (2010) · Journal of Relationship Marketing · doi:10.1080/15332661003768724 · Cited by 7
“These postulates include, for example, the search for objectivity, causal linkages, generalisation, and the use of a quantitative research approach—or, in Bruner's (as quoted in Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001 , p.”
BackgroundResearching the Experiences and Perspectives of Tourism Policy Makers
Stevenson, N. (2007) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-045328-6.50019-4 · Cited by 7
Saz‐Carranza, Á., Longo, F., & Iborra, S. S. (2014) · Studies in public and non-profit governance · doi:10.1108/s2051-663020140000002003 · Cited by 7
Abraham, J., & Geobey, S. (2021) · Social enterprise journal · doi:10.1108/sej-12-2020-0133 · Cited by 7
Bråten, S., Wedum, G., & Nilsen, T. (2025) · Regional Studies, Regional Science · doi:10.1080/21681376.2025.2476627 · Cited by 9
“This understanding entails agency having temporal elements (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
Theorising embodied interaction in coaching: A Merleau-Pontian perspective on embodied practice
Jackson, P. (2022) · Theory & Psychology · doi:10.1177/09593543221123970 · Cited by 6
“The body’s inclusion in analysis reflects an attempt to heal the enlightenment rupture of body and mind (Claxton, 2015; Tanaka, 2015; Zundel, 2013) and in particular a growing interest in complexity in these disciplinary domains (Chia, 1998; Sadler-Smith, 2008; Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundEising-Mertsch, L. A., Savaget, P., Zomer, T. T. D. S., & Haney, A. B. (2024) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143976 · Cited by 7
Bento, F. (2011) · International Journal of Complexity in Leadership and Management · doi:10.1504/ijclm.2011.040732 · Cited by 6
Lowe, S., Ellis, N. C., Purchase, S., Rod, M., & Hwang, K. (2012) · Industrial Marketing Management · doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2012.01.015 · Cited by 6
Complexity as an empirical tendency: Promoting non-measurement as a means to enhanced understanding
Poulis, K. (2020) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2020.10.005 · Cited by 6
The Momentum of Organizational Change1
Wiebe, E., Suddaby, R., & Foster, W. (2012) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199640997.003.0010 · Cited by 6
Un‐entwining monological narratives of change through dramaturgical and narrative analyses
Cairns, G. M., & Beech, N. (2003) · Culture and Organization · doi:10.1080/1475955032000154496 · Cited by 6
Kirsop-Taylor, N. A., Hejnowicz, A. P., & Scott, K. (2020) · Environmental Management · doi:10.1007/s00267-020-01320-6 · Cited by 7
Hyötyläinen, R. (2005) · Cited by 6
Organizational Conflict, Conflict Management, and Communication : A Social Complexity Perspective
Siira, K. (2013) · Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja · Cited by 6
Gabriel, Y. (2005) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/017084060502600908 · Cited by 6
“…increasingly recognized as a vital if not the vital type of organizational knowledge (Czarniawska 1999; CzarniawskaJoerges 1995; Czarniawska-Joerges and Guillet de Monthoux 1994; Gabriel 2002; Lyotard 1984/1991; Orr 1996; Patriotta 2003; Polkinghorne 1988; Tsoukas 1998a, b; Tsoukas and Hatch 2001).”
BackgroundA study of innovation perception within the construction industry
Abadi, A. (2014) · Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) · Cited by 6
The ontological and epistemological dimensions of complex organizations
Schapper, J., Cieri, H. D., & Cox, J. W. (2005) · Cited by 5
The Complexity Analysis Matrix
Knoller, N., Roth, C., & Haak, D. (2021) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-92300-6_48 · Cited by 5
Vertical ethnography: Writing the poetics of materiality
Helin, J., Kostera, M., & Średnicka, J. (2023) · Management Learning · doi:10.1177/13505076231207940 · Cited by 5
“This may help us to understand “indeterminacy, unpredictability, and emergence of complex systems” (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001: 1007), where both “clock time” and “humanly relevant time” find their expression.”
Managerialism in Complex Systems: Experiences of Strategic Planning in Non-Profit Hospitals
Meyer, V., Pascuci, L. M., & Mamédio, D. F. (2016) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s0733-558x20150000045024 · Cited by 8
Balancing divergence and convergence: stimulating creativity through hybrid thinking
Oliver, D., Heracleous, L., & Jacobs, C. D. (2013) · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · doi:10.4337/9781781000977.00030 · Cited by 5
Complex archetypal structures that underlie the ‘human condition’
Lee, M. M. (2005) · Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change · doi:10.1386/jots.2.1.49/1 · Cited by 5
“(Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
The poetics of organizational design: How words may inspire worlds
Zandee, D. P. (2007) · Advances in appreciative inquiry · doi:10.1016/s1475-9152(07)00207-4 · Cited by 5
Postmodernizm ve Komplekslik : Örgüt Kuramı Bağlamında Paradigmatik Bir Tartışma
Erdemir, E., & Koç, U. (2010) · Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi · Cited by 5
Polycentric Order in Organizations
Brohm, R. (2005) · RePub (Erasmus University Rotterdam) · Cited by 5
Strategy Workshops and Strategic ChangePreprint
MacIntosh, R., MacLean, D., & Seidl, D. N. (2008) · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · doi:10.5282/ubm/epub.2145 · Cited by 5
“The ten organizations considered here were treated independently and a narrative account (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001) was prepared for each describing both organizational change experience(s) and the workshop(s) which had been conducted as part of that process.”
BackgroundMethodOrganizational complexity: leadership and change in research-intensive academic departments
Bento, F. (2013) · BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) · Cited by 5
Chaosas ir nenuspėjamumas socialinėje teorijoje: svarstymai ir perspektyvos
Tsekeris, C. (2010) · Sociologija Mintis ir veiksmas · doi:10.15388/socmintvei.2010.2.6106 · Cited by 4
Stakeholder and jurisdictional influence over IFRS 10's development
Freitas, M. T. D., van Zijl, W., Ram, A. J., et al. (2023) · South African Journal of Accounting Research · doi:10.1080/10291954.2023.2246293 · Cited by 4
“These factors affect how different accountants interpret IFRS (Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001).”
BackgroundYouths, Cultural Diversity, and Complex Thinking^
Cangià, F., & Pagani, C. (2014) · The Open Psychology Journal · doi:10.2174/1874350101407010020 · Cited by 4
Redding, N. S. (2016) · doi:10.7916/d8mp536b · Cited by 4
Zanin, F., & Comuzzi, E. (2016) · MANAGEMENT CONTROL · doi:10.3280/maco2016-002005 · Cited by 4
Emergent Causality in Complex Films and Complex Systems
Poulaki, M. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-64714-2_16 · Cited by 4
Varotsis, G. (2018) · New Writing · doi:10.1080/14790726.2018.1510971 · Cited by 4
“(i) Even though the distribution of information throughout the screenplay system is asymmetrical, the CNS itself exhibits recursive symmetries between scale levels (Tsoukas and Hatch 2001, 988).”
BackgroundFormal Organization and Complex Responses to Video Games Narratives
Bellini, M. (2021) · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1145/3474702 · Cited by 4
“…Hven claims that “complex narratives first and foremost deserve the designation ‘complex’, because they make evident that ‘complexity is not only a feature of the systems we study, it is also a matter of the way in which we organize our thinking about those systems’” [53,in 24:11, see also 26,27].”
BackgroundZweibelson, B. (2023) · Journal of advanced military studies · doi:10.21140/mcuj.20231401001 · Cited by 4
Visibilizing and managing paradox: redefining the role of non-executive directors
Cunha, M. P. E., Leite, A. N., Rego, A., & Hernández‐Linares, R. (2024) · Corporate Governance · doi:10.1108/cg-01-2023-0038 · Cited by 4
Bredillet, C. N., Hatcher, C., & Tywoniak, S. A. (2013) · QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) · Cited by 4
From Agility to Antifragility: Coping with the Unknowable
Tsoukas, H. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108545884.004 · Cited by 4
Self-citationZweibelson, B., Wetzel, J., & Landis, T. (2021) · She ji · doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2021.05.006 · Cited by 4
Kozica, A., & Ehnert, I. (2014) · Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1007/bf03373730 · Cited by 4
Bento, F. (2010) · AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT · doi:10.5897/ajbm.9000443 · Cited by 4
THE CLIENT-CONSULTANT RELATIONSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS
Nikolova, N. (2006) · Cited by 4
“Birthing” versus “being delivered”: Of bodies, ideologies, and institutions
Weik, E. (2009) · Research in the sociology of organizations · doi:10.1108/s0733-558x(2009)0000027008 · Cited by 4
Time Travelling: Organisational Foresight as Temporal Reflexivity
Cunha, M. P. E. (2003) · New University of Lisbon's Repository (New University of Lisbon) · Cited by 4
Tuohilampi, L., Li-Williams, S., & Gooch, S. (2024) · Professional Development in Education · doi:10.1080/19415257.2024.2390880 · Cited by 3
Svejenova, S., Feuls, M., & Stjerne, I. S. (2025) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s0733-558x20250000096004 · Cited by 3
New Significance for an Old Method: CAS Theory and Ethnography
Güney, S. (2010) · Communication Methods and Measures · doi:10.1080/19312458.2010.505499 · Cited by 3
“Others have argued for the significance of ethnographic data collection and analysis to investigate the social-organizational world from the perspective of CAS theory ( Agar, 1999 , 2004; Luhman & Boje, 2001 ; McDaniel & Driebe, 2005 ; Tsoukas & Hatch, 2001 ).”
BackgroundSantos, F. P., & Davel, E. (2021) · REAd Revista Eletrônica de Administração (Porto Alegre) · doi:10.1590/1413-2311.320.103048 · Cited by 3
Developing secondary schools as learning organisations: a systemic contribution
Barnard, P. A. (2022) · International Journal of Educational Management · doi:10.1108/ijem-03-2021-0100 · Cited by 3
L’enseignement créatif et critique du management
Vandangeon-Derumez, I., & Saives, A. (2022) · Finance Contrôle Stratégie · doi:10.4000/fcs.10133 · Cited by 3
Cheville, A. (2022) · Philosophy of engineering and technology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-11601-8_5 · Cited by 3
How Recursive Dialogue Frames and Reframes Technological Change
Slocum, A., Huff, A. S., & Balogun, J. (2016) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s2397-52102016010 · Cited by 3
The Bologna Process and Lifelong Learning: Complexity and Flexibility as Watchwords for Change
Bennett, S., & Ryley, P. (2007) · Journal of Adult and Continuing Education · doi:10.7227/jace.13.2.8 · Cited by 3
“Speaking of scientific investigation, Tsoukas and Hatch point out that ‘scien tists tend to conceive of com plex ity in the classic reductionist manner of searching for the common prin - ciples underlying a variety of utterly different systems’ (Tsoukas and Hatch, 2001, p 981).”
BackgroundInfluentialGetting to Maybe: Improving the Education Doctorate in an Era of Uncertainty
Rasmussen, H. T. (2018) · Impacting Education Journal on Transforming Professional Practice · doi:10.5195/ie.2018.59 · Cited by 3
“Tsoukas and Hatch (2001) claim that one’s interpretation of events constitutes second-order complexity and that “the complexity we discover when we apply methods of complexity science is a function of the second order complexity we introduce by our involvement” (p. 990).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialLeadership for Change: Developing transformational student leaders through global learning spaces
Baillie, G., Bell, B. F., Bell, D. I., Sarkis, M., DuBois, M., Jansen, J. D., Kamsteeg, F. H., Mason-Innes, T. A., Suransky, C., Williams, R. N., et al. (2021) · doi:10.4102/aosis.2020.bk143 · Cited by 3
Filho, M. A. L. C. (2022) · Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship · doi:10.1080/08276331.2022.2037063 · Cited by 4
“These reflexive narratives expose the purposes and motivations that link individuals involved in this learning environment (Tsoukas and Hatch 2001).”
BackgroundConvergence between performance and amateur management of a social organisation
Meyer, V., Mamédio, D. F., Oliveira, A. R., et al. (2019) · International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management · doi:10.1108/ijppm-12-2018-0427 · Cited by 3
Metadata
- Authors
- Tsoukas, H., & Hatch, M. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Strathclyde (GB)
- University of Virginia (US)
- Corresponding author
- Tsoukas, Haridimos
- ORCID
- Hatch, Mary Jo
- Venue
- Human Relations
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2001-08
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 979-1013
- ISSN
- 0018-7267 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-282X
- OpenAlex
- W2137373608
- Semantic Scholar
- 11ac8f21ef439d6b4f53d6b2a123cd618bbe8d42
- Cited by
- 489
- References
- 167
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 6.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Human Relations (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Chaos, Complexity, and Education
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Complex Systems and Decision Making
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Keywords
- organizational complexity, narrative thinking, Bruner, complexity theory, recursiveness, nonlinearity, indeterminacy, unpredictability, emergence, complex systems
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
