Organizational Cultures and the Denial, Channeling, and Acknowledgment of Ambiguity

This document explores the relationship between ambiguity and the ambiguous concept of culture which is of fundamental interest to organizational culture researchers. After an overview of the topic, a matrix framework for understanding different approaches to studying cultures is presented. The matrix framework is used to contrast two paradigms that have dominated organizational culture research to date. In the second half of the document, the concepts of cultural harmony and conflict are introduced and contrasted to ambiguity. The treatment of ambiguity is shown to be a key to understanding the differences between these first two paradigms. It is noted that ambiguity also points to a blindspot, an essential third paradigm as yet unexplored by organizational cultural researchers. A way out of the dilemma caused by the existence of these competing paradigms is offered. The resulting consolidation presented bridges an apparent lack of paradigmatic measurability and offers insights unavailable to any paradigm by itself. Five pages of references are included. (ABL).

Additional information can be found at ERIC.ed.gov