Seeing the Forest and the Trees: How a Systems Perspective Informs Paradox Research

J. Schad; P. Bansal

doi:10.1111/joms.12398

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: How a Systems Perspective Informs Paradox Research

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for the Advancement of Management StudiesParadox theory has fundamentally changed how researchers think about organizational tensions by emphasizing their oppositions and their interdependencies. Yet, most paradox studies focus on salient, perceived tensions, ignoring latent, nested tensions and their complex interconnections. This partial view is rooted in the paradox literature focusing on the epistemological realm (actors’ perception of tensions) while disregarding the ontological realm (tensions’ underlying reality). The focus on the epistemological aspects of the tensions impedes researchers from moving to more intricate insights into paradox, which could help address the realities of complex issues, such as wicked problems. We propose a systems perspective on paradox that discriminates the epistemological understandings from the ontological realities of tensions. By revealing the ontology of tensions, the underlying complexity becomes empirically interpretable. We illustrate the power of this perspective by offering two research strategies that can help researchers and organizations apprehend paradoxes grounded in systems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1490-1506
Journal	Journal of Management Studies
Volume	55
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12398
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2018
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors wish to thank General Editor Igor Filatotchev for his developmental feedback and support in developing this paper. We further thank Tina Ambos, Diane-Laure Arjaliès, Hadi Chapardar, Tobias Hahn, Marianne W. Lewis, Emilio Marti, Markus Menz, Achim Schmitt, and the members of the Sustainability Research Group at Ivey Business School for their valuable comments on earlier versions of this article. Discussions with the three Counterpoint authors, Sebastian Raisch, Timothy J. Hargrave, and Andrew H. Van de Ven, were very helpful to strengthen our paper. Jonathan Schad thanks the Swiss National Science Foundation for funding (grant number 174920). Pratima Bansal thanks the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (grant number 435-2013-1409). The authors wish to thank General Editor Igor Filatotchev for his deveol pmental feedback and support in deveol ping this paper. eW further thank Tina Ambos, Diane-Laure Araj liès, Hadi Chapardar, oT bias Hahn, Marianne W Lewis, Emilio Marti, Markus Menz, Achim Schmitt, and the members of the Sustainability Research Group at Ivey Business School for their vaulae bl comments on earlier versions of this articel . Discussions with the three Counterpoint authors, Sebastian Raisch, Timothy J. Hargrave, and Andrew H. aV n de eV n, were very helpful to strengthen our paper oJ nathan Schad thanks the Swiss aN tional Science oF undation for funding (grant number 4920 )71 Pratima Bansal thanks the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (grant number 4031.9)3541-20-

Funders	Funder number
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada	4031.9)3541-20
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung	174920

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Seeing the Forest and the Trees: How a Systems Perspective Informs Paradox Research

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