Cited by 1,764Management and Organizational StudiesOrganizational Learning and LeadershipAppreciative Inquiry and Organizational Change

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 270 of the 270 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Sensemaking in Organizations: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

Maitlis, Sally, Christianson, Marlys·2014·Academy of Management Annals

DOI 10.5465/19416520.2014.873177

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Sensemaking is the process through which people work to understand issues or events that are novel, ambiguous, confusing, or in some other way violate expectations. As an activity central to organizing, sensemaking has been the subject of considerable research which has intensified over the last decade. We begin this review with a historical overview of the field, and develop a definition of sensemaking rooted in recurrent themes from the literature. We then review and integrate existing theory and research, focusing on two key bodies of work. The first explores how sensemaking is accomplished, unpacking the sensemaking process by examining how events become triggers for sensemaking, how intersubjective meaning is created, and the role of action in sensemaking. The second body considers how sensemaking enables the accomplishment of other key organizational processes, such organizational change, learning, and creativity and innovation. The final part of the chapter draws on areas of difference and debate highlighted throughout the review to discuss the implications of key tensions in the sensemaking literature, and identifies important theoretical and methodological opportunities for the field.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.5465/19416520.2014.873177

Cites

270 of 270 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

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?

Case Study Research: Design and Methods
Chaiklin, H. (1991) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-199102000-00025 · Cited by 39,535
The principles of psychology.
James, W. (1913) · Henry Holt and Company eBooks · doi:10.1037/11059-000 · Cited by 25,226
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Festinger, L. (1957) · doi:10.1515/9781503620766 · Cited by 24,241
Theory Building From Cases: Opportunities And Challenges
Eisenhardt, K. M., & Graebner, M. E. (2007) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2007.24160888 · Cited by 16,670
The social construction of reality : a treatise in the sociology of knowledge
Simpson, G., Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1967) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2091739 · Cited by 16,462
Sensemaking in Organizations
Gioia, D. A., Mehra, A., & Weick, K. E. (1996) · The Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/259169 · Cited by 15,614
Untitled work
(1969) · Virtual Defense Library (Ministerio de Defensa) · Cited by 10,735
Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design
Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. (1986) · Management Science · doi:10.1287/mnsc.32.5.554 · Cited by 9,868
Culture in Action: Symbols and Strategies
Swidler, A. (1986) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2095521 · Cited by 8,661
Organizing and the process of sensemaking
Weick, K. E., Sutcliffe, K. M., & Obstfeld, D. (2005) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.1050.0133 · Cited by 6,943

Show all 268 references

Research works printed but not linked: 17

Ancona D., 2011, The handbook for teaching leadership, 3
Brown A. D., 2000, Academy of Management Review, 25, 102, 10.5465/amr.2000.2791605 · DOI · Paper page
Colville I., 2013, Management Learning
Daft R. L., 1984, Academy of Management Review, 9, 284, 10.5465/amr.1984.4277657 · DOI · Paper page
Dewey J., 1922, Human nature and conduct
10.1177/014920639502100603 · DOI · Paper page
LaPorte T. R., 1991, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 1, 19
Leung A., 2013, Organization Studies
10.1111/j.1467-8551.2004.00407.x · DOI
10.5465/amr.2011.61031809 · DOI
Orton J. D., 1990, Academy of Management Review, 15, 203, 10.5465/amr.1990.4308154 · DOI · Paper page
Phillips N., 2004, Academy of Management Review, 29, 635, 10.5465/amr.2004.14497617 · DOI · Paper page
Shrivastava P., 1987, Bhopal: Anatomy of a crisis
Smircich L., 1985, Academy of Management Review, 10, 724, 10.5465/amr.1985.4279096 · DOI · Paper page
Sutcliffe K. M. (2013). Sensemaking. In M. Augier & D. Teece (Eds.), The Palgrave encyclopedia of strategic management . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Advance online publication. Retrieved from http://www.palgraveconnect.com/pc/doifinder/10.1057/9781137294678.0623 · DOI
Watzlawick P., 1976, How real is real?
Weick K. E., 1979, The social psychology of organizing

Items 401–500 of 1,000

Inclusive Leadership in Times of COVID-19 Crisis: The Role of District and School Leaders in Fostering School Sense-Making Processes within a National Inclusion and Integration Reform
Ganon-Shilon, S., Finkelstein, I., Sela‐Shayovitz, R., & Schechter, C. (2022) · Leadership and Policy in Schools · doi:10.1080/15700763.2022.2052907 · Cited by 35
Foresight, sensemaking, and new product development: Constructing meanings for the future
Sakellariou, E., & Vecchiato, R. (2022) · Technological Forecasting and Social Change · doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121945 · Cited by 35
Moving knowledge about family violence into public health policy and practice: a mixed method study of a deliberative dialogue
Boyko, J. A., Kothari, A. R., & Wathen, C. N. (2016) · Health Research Policy and Systems · doi:10.1186/s12961-016-0100-9 · Cited by 35
A Storm is Coming? Collective Sensemaking and Ambiguity in an Inter-organizational Team Managing Railway System Disruptions
Merkus, S., Willems, T., Schipper, D., van Marrewijk, A. H., Koppenjan, J. F. M., Veenswijk, M. B., & Bakker, H. (2016) · Journal of Change Management · doi:10.1080/14697017.2016.1219380 · Cited by 35
Subsidiary closures and relocations in the multinational enterprise: Reinstating cooperation in subsidiaries to enable knowledge transfer
Reilly, M., Tippmann, E., & Scott, P. S. (2023) · Journal of International Business Studies · doi:10.1057/s41267-022-00592-w · Cited by 34
Humanistic Organizing: The Transformative Force of Mindful Organizational Communication
Town, S., Reina, C. S., Brummans, B. H. J. M., & Pirson, M. A. (2024) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2021.0433 · Cited by 34
Thirty-five years of sensemaking in the business & management research: a bibliometric analysis, review and discussion
Eckstein, G., Shrestha, A., & Russo, F. (2024) · Management Review Quarterly · doi:10.1007/s11301-024-00458-5 · Cited by 34
AI technology, AI narrative, and firm value
Xing, X., Zhang, Z., & He, W. (2025) · Technovation · doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103349 · Cited by 35
Novice School Principals Constructing Their Role Vis-À-Vis External Stakeholders: (Not) Attempting to Be “All Things to All People”
Tuma, A. P., & Spillane, J. P. (2019) · Educational Administration Quarterly · doi:10.1177/0013161x18822101 · Cited by 34
Sensemaking in crisis situations: Drawing insights from epic war novels
Kalkman, J. P. (2020) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2020.02.009 · Cited by 34
Temporal distancing and integrating: Exploring coopetition tensions through managerial sensemaking dynamics
Lundgren-Henriksson, E.-L., & Tidström, A. (2021) · Scandinavian Journal of Management · doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2021.101168 · Cited by 34
Paradoxical Leadership and Employee Task Performance: A Sense-Making Perspective
Zhang, W., Liao, S., Liao, J., & Zheng, Q. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.753116 · Cited by 35
Entrepreneurship-driven organizational transformation for sustainability: a sensemaking lens
Hübel, C. (2022) · Journal of Organizational Change Management · doi:10.1108/jocm-03-2021-0067 · Cited by 17
Not all extreme weather events are equal: Impacts on risk perception and adaptation in public transit agencies
Zhang, F. (2022) · Climatic Change · doi:10.1007/s10584-022-03323-0 · Cited by 35
Identity work as a strategic practice
Oliver, D. (2015) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139681032.020 · Cited by 34
On the dynamics of work identity in atypical employment: setting out a research agenda
Selenko, E., Berkers, H. A., Carter, A., Woods, S. A., Otto, K., Urbach, T., & Witte, H. D. (2018) · European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology · doi:10.1080/1359432x.2018.1444605 · Cited by 34
Strategy restoration
Miller, K. D., Gomes, E., & Lehman, D. W. (2018) · Long Range Planning · doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2018.10.005 · Cited by 34
Understanding user responses to the COVID-19 pandemic on Twitter from a terror management theory perspective: Cultural differences among the US, UK and India
Kwon, S., & Park, A. (2022) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2021.107087 · Cited by 33
Uncertainty and Strategic Decision Making
Sund, K. J., Galavan, R., & Huff, A. S. (2016) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s2397-52102016 · Cited by 33
The “sense” behind proactive behaviors: Feedback seeking, meaningfulness, and personal initiative
Ma, B., Zhu, S., & Jain, K. (2023) · Journal of Vocational Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2023.103896 · Cited by 33
Sensemaking through the storm: How postpartum depression shapes personal work–family narratives.
Gabriel, A. S., Ladge, J. J., Little, L. M., MacGowan, R. L., & Stillwell, E. E. (2023) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/apl0001125 · Cited by 33
Employee Sensemaking on the Importance of Sustainability Reporting in Sustainability Identity Change
Onkila, T., Mäkelä, M., & Järvenpää, M. (2017) · Sustainable Development · doi:10.1002/sd.1696 · Cited by 33
Influence of Perceived Socially Responsible Human Resource Management on Task Performance and Social Performance
Shao, D., Zhou, E., & Gao, P. (2019) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su11113195 · Cited by 33
Leveraging a Recessive Narrative to Transform Joe Paterno’s Image: Media Sensebreaking, Sensemaking, and Sensegiving During Scandal
Bishop, D. G., Treviño, L. K., Gioia, D. A., & Kreiner, G. E. (2019) · Academy of Management Discoveries · doi:10.5465/amd.2019.0108 · Cited by 34
How experiences of climate extremes motivate adaptation among water managers
Page, R., & Dilling, L. (2020) · Climatic Change · doi:10.1007/s10584-020-02712-7 · Cited by 33
Containing and harnessing uncertainty during postgraduate research supervision
Albertyn, R., & Bennett, K. (2020) · Higher Education Research & Development · doi:10.1080/07294360.2020.1775559 · Cited by 33
Swans and elephants: A typology to capture the challenges of food supply chain risk assessment
Manning, L., Birchmore, I., & Morris, D. R. (2020) · Trends in Food Science & Technology · doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2020.10.007 · Cited by 33
Making sense of business analytics in project selection and prioritisation: insights from the start-up trenches
Zamani, E. D., Griva, A., Spanaki, K., O’Raghallaigh, P., & Sammon, D. (2021) · Information Technology and People · doi:10.1108/itp-09-2020-0633 · Cited by 33
Risk information in decision-making: definitions, requirements and various functions
Zhu, T., Haugen, S., & Liu, Y. (2021) · Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries · doi:10.1016/j.jlp.2021.104572 · Cited by 33
Organisational Learning for and with VUCA: Learning Leadership Revisited
Antonacopoulou, E. P. (2018) · Teoria e Prática em Administração · doi:10.21714/2238-104x2018v8i2s-40869 · Cited by 33
Managing business model innovation uncertainties in 5G technology: a future‐oriented sensemaking perspective
Moqaddamerad, S., & Tapinos, E. (2022) · R and D Management · doi:10.1111/radm.12559 · Cited by 33
Employees Perceptions about Corporate Social Responsibility—Understanding CSR and Job Engagement through Meaningfulness, Bottom-Up Approach and Calling Orientation
Cunha, S. A., Proença, T., & Ferreira, M. R. (2022) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su142114606 · Cited by 33
‘We are this hybrid’: Members’ search for organizational identity in an institutionalized public–private partnership
Reissner, S. (2017) · Public Administration · doi:10.1111/padm.12333 · Cited by 33
Sensemaking through cue utilisation in disaster recovery project management
Gacasan, E. M. P., & Wiggins, M. W. (2016) · International Journal of Project Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.09.009 · Cited by 32
Surfing across industrial revolutions: A resilient sensemaking perspective on innovation
Ciasullo, M. V., Calabrese, M., & Sala, A. L. (2023) · Global Business and Organizational Excellence · doi:10.1002/joe.22219 · Cited by 32
A Stakeholder Perspective on Diversity Within Organizations
Dwivedi, P., Basuthakur, Y., Polineni, S., Paruchuri, S., & Joshi, A. (2024) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/01492063241280718 · Cited by 32
Reclaiming cognitive crafting: an integrative model of behavioral and cognitive practices in job crafting
de Melo, N. C. M., Dourado, D. C. P., & de Andrade, J. A. (2021) · International journal of organizational analysis · doi:10.1108/ijoa-04-2020-2130 · Cited by 32
Is it me or us? The impact of individual and collective participation on work engagement and burnout in a cluster-randomized organisational intervention
Nielsen, K. M., Antino, M., Rodríguez‐Muñoz, A., & Sanz‐Vergel, A. I. (2021) · Work & Stress · doi:10.1080/02678373.2021.1889072 · Cited by 32
The Impact of Covid-19 Crisis on a Company’s Internal Communication
Bojadziev, M., & Vaneva, M. (2021) · Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems · doi:10.7906/indecs.19.2.5 · Cited by 32
Ecocentric management mindset: a framework for corporate sustainability
Araújo, C. L., Picavet, M. E. B., Sartoretto, C. A. P. D. S., Riva, E., & Hollaender, P. S. (2021) · Critical Perspectives on International Business · doi:10.1108/cpoib-07-2020-0095 · Cited by 32
Sensemaking by Employees in Essential versus Non-essential Professions During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Comparison of Effects of Change Communication and Disruption Cues on Mental Health, Through Interpretations of Identity Threats and Work Meaningfulness
van Zoonen, W., Rice, R. E., & ter Hoeven, C. L. (2022) · Management Communication Quarterly · doi:10.1177/08933189221087633 · Cited by 32
The interactive effect of mindfulness and internal listening on internal crisis management and its outcomes: the moderating role of emotional exhaustion
Adamu, A. A., Raza, S. H., & Mohamad, B. (2022) · Corporate Communications An International Journal · doi:10.1108/ccij-05-2022-0051 · Cited by 32
Food Banking, Ethical Sensemaking, and Social Innovation in an Era of Growing Hunger in the United States
Elmes, M. B., Mendoza-Abarca, K. I., & Hersh, R. (2015) · Journal of Management Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1056492615589651 · Cited by 32
Ethical Considerations and Change Recipients’ Reactions: ‘It’s Not All About Me’
Jacobs, G., & Keegan, A. E. (2016) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-016-3311-7 · Cited by 32
Emotion in IT Investment Decision Making with A Real Options Perspective: The Intertwining of Cognition and Regret
Park, E. H., Ramesh, B., & Cao, L. (2016) · Journal of Management Information Systems · doi:10.1080/07421222.2016.1243893 · Cited by 32
Co-creating educational consumer journeys: A sensemaking perspective
Beverland, M. B., Cankurtaran, P., Micheli, P. G., & Wilner, S. J. S. (2023) · Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · doi:10.1007/s11747-023-00951-5 · Cited by 31
Feeding the hype cycle: Entrepreneurial swagger, passion, and inflated expectations
Heupel, K., Arteaga-Fonseca, J., Rutherford, M. W., & Edwards, B. (2024) · Journal of Business Venturing · doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2024.106432 · Cited by 32
Discernment in management and organizations
Miller, K. D. (2020) · Journal of Management Spirituality & Religion · doi:10.1080/14766086.2020.1812425 · Cited by 31
Walking the Talk? Managing Errors in the Audit Profession*
Nöteberg, A., Detzen, D., van Mourik, O., Wallage, P., & Wright, A. M. (2022) · Contemporary Accounting Research · doi:10.1111/1911-3846.12794 · Cited by 31
Making sense of new technology during organisational change
Reynolds, N. (2015) · New Technology Work and Employment · doi:10.1111/ntwe.12045 · Cited by 31
Trust and Reflection in Primary Care Practice Redesign
Lanham, H. J., Palmer, R. F., Leykum, L. K., McDaniel, R. R., Nutting, P. A., Stange, K. C., Crabtree, B. F., Miller, W. L., & Jaén, C. R. (2015) · Health Services Research · doi:10.1111/1475-6773.12415 · Cited by 31
How Organizational Transformation Has Been Continuously Changing and Not Changing
Bartunek, J. M., & Jones, E. B. (2017) · Research in organizational change and development · doi:10.1108/s0897-301620170000025004 · Cited by 31
Evaluating a community-based public health intervention using a complex systems approach
Matheson, A., Walton, M., Gray, R. J., Lindberg, K., Shanthakumar, M., Fyfe, C., Wehipeihana, N., & Borman, B. (2017) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdx117 · Cited by 31
Shaping the Political Environment: An Ethnography of Public Affairs Professionals at Work
Kaynak, E., & Barley, S. R. (2019) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/0730888419829175 · Cited by 30
The Influence of Leadership Strategies and Social Capital on the Business Performance and Resilience of Indonesian MSMEs
Reniati, R., Susantyo, B., Irmayani, N. R., Sabri, F., & Widiastuti, W. (2024) · Journal of the Knowledge Economy · doi:10.1007/s13132-024-02254-8 · Cited by 30
Making sense while steering through the fog: Principals’ metaphors within a national reform implementation
Ganon-Shilon, S., & Schechter, C. (2017) · Education Policy Analysis Archives · doi:10.14507/epaa.25.2942 · Cited by 30
Tensions and Dilemmas in Crisis Governance: Responding to Citizen Volunteers
Schmidt, A. (2019) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/0095399719836734 · Cited by 30
Sensemaking in Critical Situations and in Relation to Resilience—A Review
Kilskar, S. S., Danielsen, B.-E., & Johnsen, S. O. (2019) · ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems Part B Mechanical Engineering · doi:10.1115/1.4044789 · Cited by 30
Team‐level human resource attributions and performance
Fan, D., Huang, Y.-F., & Timming, A. R. (2020) · Human Resource Management Journal · doi:10.1111/1748-8583.12330 · Cited by 30
Making sense of employee satisfaction measurement – A technological frames of reference perspective
Goretzki, L., Reuter, M., Sandberg, J., & Thulin, G. (2021) · The British Accounting Review · doi:10.1016/j.bar.2021.101032 · Cited by 30
Rise from ashes: A dynamic framework of organizational learning and resilience in disaster response
Nava, L. (2022) · Business and Society Review · doi:10.1111/basr.12261 · Cited by 30
Contextual understanding of care ethics in social entrepreneurship
Sengupta, S., & Lehtimäki, H. P. (2022) · Entrepreneurship and Regional Development · doi:10.1080/08985626.2022.2055150 · Cited by 30
Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector
Meng, T., Newth, J., & Woods, C. R. (2022) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-022-05160-8 · Cited by 30
Adoption of technological innovation in healthcare delivery: a psychological perspective for healthcare decision-makers
Wong, J. H. K., Näswall, K., Pawsey, F., Chase, J. G., & Malinen, S. K. (2023) · BMJ Innovations · doi:10.1136/bmjinnov-2022-001003 · Cited by 30
Change agents’ cognitive maps of circular supply chain transition – An investigation of barriers, actions, and outcomes
Nyffenegger, R., Zehendner, A., Quarshie, A. M., & Leuschner, R. (2024) · Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management · doi:10.1016/j.pursup.2024.100906 · Cited by 30
Giving sense and changing perceptions in the implementation of the performance management system in public sector organisations in developing countries
Ohemeng, F. L. K., Asiedu, E. A., & Obuobisa‐Darko, T. (2018) · International Journal of Public Sector Management · doi:10.1108/ijpsm-05-2017-0136 · Cited by 30
Professional Network Identification: Searching for Stability in Transient Knowledge Work
Litchfield, R. C., Hirst, G., & van Knippenberg, D. (2020) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2017.0388 · Cited by 30
Perspectives on communicating 21st-Century agricultural innovations to Nigerian rural farmers
Ejem, A. A., Aremu, C., Ajakaiye, O. O. P., Ben-Enukora, C., Akerele-Popoola, O. E., Ibiwoye, T. I., & Olaniran, A. F. (2023) · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research · doi:10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100511 · Cited by 29
Evolutionary sensemaking: a managerial metacognitive dynamic capability to reduce information asymmetry
Kulkarni, S. P., Cristofaro, M., & Ramamoorthy, N. (2024) · Management Decision · doi:10.1108/md-10-2023-1858 · Cited by 29
RETRACTED: Supply chain cognitive resilience through AI-powered risk mitigation and autonomous resilience
Rashid, A., & Rasheed, R. (2025) · Supply Chain Management An International Journal · doi:10.1108/scm-07-2025-0656 · Cited by 29
Retracted
Sensemaking as ‘Self’-defence: Investigating spaces of resistance in precarious work
Manolchev, C. (2019) · Competition & Change · doi:10.1177/1024529418822920 · Cited by 29
Universality and situatedness in educating choral conductors
Jansson, D., Elstad, B., & Døving, E. (2019) · Music Education Research · doi:10.1080/14613808.2019.1626362 · Cited by 29
Multilevel Influence of Routine Redesigning, Legitimacy and Functional Affordance on Sustainability Accounting: Mediating Role of Organizational Sense-making
Al‐Abrrow, H., Ali, J., & Alnoor, A. (2019) · Global Business Review · doi:10.1177/0972150919869726 · Cited by 29
Strategic change and sensemaking practice: enabling the role of the middle manager
Kieran, S., MacMahon, J., & MacCurtain, S. (2020) · Baltic Journal of Management · doi:10.1108/bjm-11-2018-0395 · Cited by 29
Unconscious Processes of Organizing: Intergroup Conflict in Mental Health Care
Mikkelsen, E. N., Gray, B., & Petersen, A. (2020) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12611 · Cited by 29
Tensions Between What Principals Know and Do: The Role of Labor Market Conditions on Teacher Recruitment and Hiring
Castro, A. J. (2020) · Leadership and Policy in Schools · doi:10.1080/15700763.2020.1833352 · Cited by 29
Driven to Distraction: The Unintended Consequences of Organizational Learning from Failure Caused by Human Error
Park, B., Lehman, D. W., & Ramanujam, R. (2022) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2022.1573 · Cited by 29
Critical change agent characteristics and competencies for ensuring systemic climate adaptation interventions
Meharg, S. (2022) · Sustainability Science · doi:10.1007/s11625-022-01250-8 · Cited by 29
My colleagues (do not) think the same: Middle managers’ shared and separate realities in strategy implementation
Schuler, B. A., Orr, K., & Hughes, J. (2023) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113782 · Cited by 29
The Trojan horse mechanism and reciprocal sense-giving to urgent strategic change
Hensmans, M. (2015) · Journal of Organizational Change Management · doi:10.1108/jocm-06-2015-0084 · Cited by 29
Trapped in the Middle: Challenging the Linear Approach to the Relationship between Leadership and Safety
Katz‐Navon, T., Kark, R., & Delegach, M. (2019) · Academy of Management Discoveries · doi:10.5465/amd.2017.0014 · Cited by 29
Rethinking work: How approach and avoidance features of cognitive crafting are linked with job crafting behaviors and work engagement
Costantini, A. (2022) · Journal of Management & Organization · doi:10.1017/jmo.2022.79 · Cited by 28
Exploring the Embeddedness of an Informal Community of Practice Within a Formal Organizational Context: A Case Study in the German Military
Schulte, B., Andresen, F., & Koller, H. U. (2019) · Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies · doi:10.1177/1548051819833382 · Cited by 28
Strategic planning theory: An institutional perspective
Tambovtsev, V. L., & Rozhdestvenskaya, I. (2020) · Terra Economicus · doi:10.18522/2073-6606-2020-18-2-22-48 · Cited by 28
Gossip as evaluative sensemaking and the concealment of confidential gossip in the everyday life of organizations
Fan, Z., & Dawson, P. (2021) · Management Learning · doi:10.1177/1350507620979366 · Cited by 28
Implicit leadership theory: principals' sense-making and cognitive complexity
Da’as, R., Ganon-Shilon, S., Schechter, C., & Qadach, M. (2021) · International Journal of Educational Management · doi:10.1108/ijem-02-2020-0086 · Cited by 28
‘We did everything we could’: how employees’ made sense of COVID-19 in the tourism and hospitality industry
Bichler, B. F., Petry, T., & Peters, M. (2021) · Current Issues in Tourism · doi:10.1080/13683500.2021.1985974 · Cited by 28
Confronting the Contested Past: Sensemaking and Rhetorical History in the Reconstruction of Organizational Identity
Hampel, C. E., & Dalpiaz, E. (2023) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2020.1132 · Cited by 29
Organizational heuristics and firms' sensemaking for climate change adaptation
Bleda, M., Krull, E., Pinkse, J., & Christodoulou, E. (2023) · Business Strategy and the Environment · doi:10.1002/bse.3476 · Cited by 28
Stories of Policing: The Role of Storytelling in Police Students’ Sensemaking of Early Work-Based Experiences
Rantatalo, O., & Karp, S. (2017) · Vocations and Learning · doi:10.1007/s12186-017-9184-9 · Cited by 28
Post-PhD researchers’ experiences: an emotionally rocky road
Skakni, I., & McAlpine, L. (2017) · Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education · doi:10.1108/sgpe-d-17-00026 · Cited by 28
Divide and rule: The effects of diversity and network structure on a firm's sustainability performance
Ashraf, N., Pinkse, J., Ahmadsimab, A., Ul‐Haq, S., & Badar, K. (2019) · Long Range Planning · doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2019.04.002 · Cited by 28
Managing Age Diversity at the Workplace
Gaur, P., Vihari, N. S., & Sharma, G. M. (2022) · Advances in human resources management and organizational development book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-6684-5151-9.ch014 · Cited by 27
Coopetition: A vehicle for business model distinctiveness
Bouncken, R. B., & Fredrich, V. (2024) · Industrial Marketing Management · doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2024.11.010 · Cited by 27
Ideal or an ordeal for organizations? The spectrum of co-worker reactions to idiosyncratic deals
Garg, S., & Fulmer, I. S. (2017) · Organizational Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/2041386617733136 · Cited by 27
Transforming I into we in organizational knowledge creation: A case study
Ahn, J.-S., & Hong, A. J. (2019) · Human Resource Development Quarterly · doi:10.1002/hrdq.21371 · Cited by 27
Organizational Underdog Narratives: The Cultivation and Consequences of a Collective Underdog Identity
Steele, L. M., & Lovelace, J. B. (2021) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2019.0336 · Cited by 27
Teachers' and school leaders' sensemaking of formal achievement data: A conceptual review
Goffin, E., Janssen, R., & Vanhoof, J. (2022) · Review of Education · doi:10.1002/rev3.3334 · Cited by 28
How Psychosocial Safety Climate Helped Alleviate Work Intensification Effects on Presenteeism during the COVID-19 Crisis? A Moderated Mediation Model
Mansour, S., Azeem, M. F., Dollard, M. F., & Potter, R. E. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192013673 · Cited by 27
Tensions and outcomes in corporate sustainability: The moderating role of paradoxical frame
Carmine, S., & Marchi, V. D. (2022) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134952 · Cited by 27

Authors: Maitlis, S., & Christianson, M.
Affiliations: University of British Columbia (CA)
ORCID: Maitlis, Sally
Christianson, Marlys
Venue: Academy of Management Annals
Publisher: Academy of Management
Published: 2014-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Pages: 57-125
ISSN: 1941-6067 (ISSN-L)
1941-6520
DOI: 10.5465/19416520.2014.873177
OpenAlex: W4245597957
Cited by: 1,764
References: 268
Citations by year: 2026: 332 · 2025: 187 · 2024: 167 · 2023: 192 · 2022: 182 · 2021: 188 · 2020: 160 · 2019: 139 · 2018: 87 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 3
FWCI: 93.84
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Academy of Management Annals (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Learning and Leadership
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Appreciative Inquiry and Organizational Change
Keywords: sensemaking, organizational sensemaking, ambiguity, intersubjective meaning, organizational change, organizational learning, creativity and innovation

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

Data sources

Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.

Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).

Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.

Sensemaking in Organizations: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks

Data sources