Narrative Infrastructure in Product Creation Processes

Deuten, J. Jasper and Rip, Arie (2000) Narrative Infrastructure in Product Creation Processes. Organization, 7 (1). pp. 69-93. ISSN 1350-5084

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Abstract:	In product creation processes, perhaps even more than in organization processes in general, uncertainties are addressed and complexity is reduced. In retrospect, linearized success stories are told. The history of a product innovation in a biotechnology firm is used to show how actually, over time, attributions and typifications in stories, and the implied stories contained in interactions, link up and an overall plot emerges. Such a social-semiotic analysis identifies the narrative infrastructure which enables, as well as constrains, further actions, just like narrative enables and constrains the characters involved. In the specific `genre' of product creation processes, the role of `hero' shifts from the project team to the emerging product itself. Managers and other actors involved can profit from the reflexive understanding offered by social-semiotic analysis, and avoid becoming captive of the path they follow, even though reflexivity may hinder the build-up of thrust in the process.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 2000 SAGE Publications
Research Group:	Science, Technology and Policy Studies (STePS)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/34333
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/135050840071005
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