Sensemaking

Abstract

The most comprehensive statement of what sensemaking in organizations is is found in Weick's 1995 book of that name. Dictionaries are comprised of definitions and with Weick we find a straightforward one: ‘sensemaking is what it says it is, namely, making something sensible. It is to be understood literally not metaphorically’ (1995: 16). This plain- speaking definition distances itself from fancy metaphor (q.v.) and in doing so appeals directly to common sense. But it would be a mistake to understand sensemaking sensemaking as commonsense.