Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
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the importance which in the prescriptive and descriptive rhetoric is attached to a<br />
stable (read: normal) state of things. The c<strong>on</strong>sequence of this point of departure is that<br />
a dualism is introduced as if an organizati<strong>on</strong> or a pers<strong>on</strong> (e.g. an adviser) is able to step<br />
out of a normal situati<strong>on</strong>, is able to organize some sort of learning process and then is<br />
able to step back into the altered state. From a complex resp<strong>on</strong>sive process-perspective<br />
this is - as menti<strong>on</strong>ed before - called the doubling fallacy (Stacey, 2007). The<br />
fallacy implies to assume that change is disc<strong>on</strong>nected from everyday organizati<strong>on</strong>al or<br />
pers<strong>on</strong>al life, although at the end of the day change may indeed have some c<strong>on</strong>sequences<br />
for this everyday life.<br />
I assume that any<strong>on</strong>e who has been part of an organizati<strong>on</strong> and change programmes<br />
knows that this dualism is an illusi<strong>on</strong>. My experience - as stipulated in chapter 3 - with<br />
working in teams to design reform together, exemplifies that even if ‘stepped out-situati<strong>on</strong>s’<br />
are created, the same ideological battles are fought, but then hidden in designoriented<br />
language. If an organizati<strong>on</strong> is to be described as unstructured and ever<br />
changing, things are and remain unclear (Homan, 2005). Change programmes are part<br />
of an <strong>on</strong>-going process of sense making by people within their organizati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>text.<br />
Change mixes c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>, routines, sp<strong>on</strong>taneity, cooperati<strong>on</strong>, c<strong>on</strong>flict and power<br />
(Groot, 2010b). From a complex resp<strong>on</strong>sive process-perspective change, whether<br />
emergent, incremental or disruptive, is our normal state of being, but slides into<br />
invisibility in what is called the dominant modernistic discourse (Chia, 1995; Toulmin,<br />
1990) as propagated by descriptive or descriptive theories of change.<br />
In an ever changing social reality which is brought about in the <strong>on</strong>-going interacti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
of people, <strong>on</strong>e may w<strong>on</strong>der whether effective change in the way it is proclaimed by<br />
theories of change, ever will be present.<br />
If change is real in its c<strong>on</strong>tinuity, my supposed role of a corporate jester and the doubts<br />
about the manageability of an organizati<strong>on</strong> make it obvious to reflect up<strong>on</strong> my role as<br />
a jester from a point of view in which manageability and the belief in planning of<br />
effective change is being questi<strong>on</strong>ed.<br />
The return of the jester?<br />
If it is true that nowadays there is again a growing amount of corporate jesters (Otto,<br />
2001) then my positi<strong>on</strong>, as I became to reflect up<strong>on</strong> my positi<strong>on</strong> in my narrative about<br />
the internal branding programme, is to be explored in regard to this growing presence<br />
of jesters. Apparently, nowadays corporati<strong>on</strong>s again need some sort of an adviser to<br />
challenge them or to think outside the box, but why a jester? “The Corporate Fool is a<br />
manifesto for a new business professi<strong>on</strong>al: an indispensable amalgam of roles which<br />
stimulates effective change and resoluti<strong>on</strong> in this foolish world.” (Firth and Leigh, 1998:<br />
43). What may a jester’s role be in a foolish world by abstaining from the possibility of<br />
planned effective change will be taken up again after some reflecti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the process<br />
of drafting the performance agreements.<br />
5. Drafting performance agreements: gestures of a c<strong>on</strong>temporary jester | 131