IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONING IN ORGANIZATIONAL-CHANGE - THE DIALECTIC OF CONTROL IN A MERGING ORGANIZATION

Organizational merger has become increasingly common in the volatile e nvironment of modern corporate America. This case study of a merging u tility company examines organizational members' discursive responses t o the contradictions evolving in the condition of merger. Structuratio n theory provides a compelling framework for the exploration of the di scursive responses of organizational members as they cope with and man age uncertainty associated with the change. The findings reveal how me mbers position themselves as a function of the dialectic of control. I deological positioning functions not only as a response to the merger, but also to produce and reproduce organizational structures that enha nce or inhibit autonomy, identification, empowerment, and change.