Managing Impressions Rather Than Emissions: Volkswagen and the false mastery of paradox

The challenge of dealing with paradoxes has become a central issue in management and organization studies. Present research literature is largely inclined to idealize paradoxical framing in thinking and theorizing. We critically explore the perils paradoxes present when generated by stretch goals wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organization studies 2021-06, Vol.42 (6), p.949-970
Main Authors: Gaim, Medhanie, Clegg, Stewart, Cunha, Miguel Pina e
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business Studies
contradictions
Emissions
företagsekonomi
Impression management
Impressions
Organization studies
Paradoxes
Scandals
stretch goals
Transcendence
Volkswagen emissions scandal
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Summary:The challenge of dealing with paradoxes has become a central issue in management and organization studies. Present research literature is largely inclined to idealize paradoxical framing in thinking and theorizing. We critically explore the perils paradoxes present when generated by stretch goals whose ‘achievement’ is accomplished through impression management. Using the Volkswagen emissions scandal we show how paradoxical promises, embraced discursively but not substantively, created false transcendence rather than paradoxical mastery. We contribute to paradox theory by discussing how the illusion of paradox embrace can trigger dysfunctional behaviours. In practice, the paper cautions organizations and their members from being overconfident in their ability to embrace paradoxes successfully.
ISSN:0170-8406
1741-3044
1741-3044
DOI:10.1177/0170840619891199