Occasions for sensemaking and responses to change: A quasi-field experiment

Abstract

One of the urgent questions in micro change research is how to better understand shifts in peoples' responses to change over time. Grounded in dual process theories of cognition, sensemaking research, and dialogical communication, we conceptualize occasions for sensemaking (OfS) as interventions facilitating shifts towards supportive responses. OfS are characterized by the initiation of (a) active cognitive processing, (b) interpersonal communication, and (c) conversations of understanding and performance. Based on two-wave data (N=145) comparing a treatment and control group, we tested OfS in a quasi- field experiment during a planned change in a technology firm. Latent-change score analysis showed that participating in OfS corresponds to a positive shift in perceived progress and intentions of change support, but not in pleasant affect towards the change. Further, we identify perceived meaning and impact of the change as two pathways explaining the effects of OfS. Our study contributes to the literature on temporal shifts in response to change and aims to motivate quasi-experiments on real interventions.