Between stability and instability : Analyzing the influence of contradictory narratives in the Gripen E development on the collective sensemaking process

Sammanfattning: A growing number of organizations developing complex innovation projects face the dilemma that complexity demands more stability, resulting in increased sensemaking efforts, whilst innovation requires instability which encourages the organization to breakdown meaning. The aim of this study is to shed light on the simultaneous need for a strong sensemaking process and a breaking down in meaning in complex innovation projects by analyzing the collective sensemaking process through a storytelling lens. By conducting an explorative case study, we investigated a long-term development project in the Swedish defense industry. The qualitative study is based upon ten in-depth interviews with technical experts occupying key positions in the investigated project (JAS39 Gripen E-series development). We followed a process study approach to investigate the dynamic attributes and effects of a changing dominant story on the sensemaking process of project sub-teams. We propose that the dual attributes of arising dominating narratives allow sub- collectives to "escape" the dangerous downward spiral of a collapsing sensemaking process, as they enable individuals with cause maps contradictory to an organization's dominant story to remain in action. The acceptance of temporal relaxed stability can therefore be seen as an important step in the creation of radical innovation.