Battling with Swords and Shields: a Semantic Analysis of the Paradox of Belonging and Performing in a Cooperative

Abstract This study aimed to understand how the semantic analysis of the process of (re)construction of organizational narratives can help a cooperative to manage paradoxical goals. We performed a single case study based on in-depth interviews with 47 employees, non-participant observations, and document analysis in a Brazilian credit cooperative. Our results showed that individuals may tell stories to influence others’ sensemaking of “what is going on here.” When such stories show semantic fit with the linguistic organizational context, they become able to shape others’ sensemaking. As different and competitive stories can coexist, they can reflect both polarized (e. g., “we are financial-centered” versus “we are social-centered”) and paradoxical self-definitions (“we are financial-and-social-centered”). Thus, the semantic element of organizational narratives not only highlights the dialogical nature of organizations but also their paradoxical nature.

摘要 本研究旨在探析组织叙事（Organizational Narratives）（再）建构过程的语义分析，如何助力合作型组织管控悖论性目标。本研究以巴西某信贷合作社为研究对象，基于对47名员工的深度访谈、非参与式观察与文档分析开展单案例研究。研究结果表明，个体可通过讲述叙事故事，影响他人对"当下情境究竟为何"的意义建构（Sensemaking）。当此类叙事与组织语境的语言逻辑具备语义契合性时，便可有效塑造他人的意义建构。由于不同且相互对立的叙事可共存，它们既会反映极化的自我定位（例如"我们以金融为核心"与"我们以社会价值为核心"的对立），也会体现悖论式的自我界定（例如"我们兼具金融与社会价值导向"）。由此可见，组织叙事的语义维度不仅凸显了组织的对话性本质，更揭示了其悖论性属性。