ARTICLE 1

Exploring theatrical dynamics in changing
organizations

Résumé :

The enactment of roles within organizations gives rise to
theatrical performances which serve as an excellent source of
information for researchers involved in assisting with change
processes in organizations. To make a vital contribution to research
and practice, any method used to analyze these theatrical
performances must accurately capture the essence of theatrical
displays as they relate to change processes. The aim of this paper is
to present causality analysis as a method of analysis which captures
the essence of theatrical performances, enabling the understanding
and analysis of organization processes and the subsequent
recommendation and implementation of appropriate change models.

par Esther r. Thomas
Assistant Professor of Management
Texas Southern University (USA)

ARTICLE 2

Explicating performance in organizations

Résumé :

This paper seeks to unravel the character of performance in
organizations. But what is performance? It might be argued that
performance provides the basic rationale for the being of an
organization and as such provides the reason why it is important to
both value and measure it so that it might either be improved or at the
very least sustained!
Yet, placing this emphasis on performance immediately
predisposes that we are clear in our understanding of its character.
The emergence of the study of performance in other disciplines over
recent years suggests that such an understanding might overlook
many vital features of its guise. This paper will not offer an exhaustive
review of these contributions; rather I will explore how some of these
insights might cause us to reconsider our assumptions regarding our
understanding of the guise of performance.

par Ian W. King
Lecturer
Essex Management Centre
University of Essex (UK)

ARTICLE 3

From theatrics to metatheatre: The Enron Drama

Résumé :

In this article, we explore the relation between theatrics and
metatheatre and attempt to demonstrate how metatheatre might act to
resolve theatrics. We look at the case of Enron theatrics and the
multiple conflicting stories that came to confrontation on the Enron
stage. We synthesize several perspectives on metatheatre and suggest
two ways that methatheatre mediates theatrics.

par David Boje
Professor
New Mexico State University (USA)
Hans Hansen
Associate Professor
Texas Tech University (USA)
Grace Ann Rosile
Assistant Professor of Management
New Mexico State University (USA)

ARTICLE 4

Raising the Curtain on Business Operation
Theatrics

Résumé :

This article deals with corporate theatrics and its multidimensional aspect within organizations construed as the locus
of internal and external conflicts, as a space for dialogue or silence,
or as the object of multiple scenarios in which company actors play a
part. Consultants on the organizational stage are faced with all those
parameters. The socio-economic approach to organizations we are
referring to, is aimed at varying the angles of vision and at providing
tools for a better understanding of the polyphonic nature of
organizational discourses.

par Michel Péron
Professor emeritus
University of Paris Sorbonne 3 (France)
Henri Savall
Professor
University Jean Moulin Lyon 3 (France)

ARTICLE 5

Towards a Methodology for Organisational
Theatre: The Process of Dramatic Performance
and Dialogue in Organisational Intervention

Résumé :

The tentative paper will draw on a number of case examples of different styles of dramatic material, describing their use in theatrebased
organisational development work. The paper argues that the cases indicate the more archetypical and less context-specific the dramatic material, the more powerful theatre can be as an
organisational intervention. The paper suggests that it is at the more
generic level that theatre can engender the "critical incidents" required to engender change responses in organisational participants.
The paper will present three different theatrical pieces and, making use of critical incident analysis, will identify that the context-specific
nature of some of the scenes actually creates too much of "clear mirror" and simply replicates an image of current practice, whereas
more archetypal writing enhances Brechtian alienation which allows participants to apply their critical response not only to the specific
context but also to a broader organisational and even personal
change agenda.
Of all the arts, theatre offers the most direct, immediate and concrete representation of human behaviour and social experience. As such it can provide a vivid analogue through which to reflect upon and inquire into many organisational themes, so as to develop new concepts and ideas for implementation.

par Paul Levy
Senior Lecterer
Centre for Research in Innovation Management (CENTRIM)
University of Brighton (UK)
Chris Stagg
Associate
Centre for Research in Innovation Management (CENTRIM)
University of Brighton (UK)