BLUE VERSUS GRAY - A METAPHOR CONSTRAINING SENSEMAKING AROUND A RESTRUCTURING

Through a case study analysis, this article explores the processes tha t guide organizational members' sensemaking around a departmental rest ructuring. Symbolic processes prove to play a critical role in reestab lishing understanding even when organizational leaders are not explici tly directing these symbolic processes. This article demonstrates that because of their influence on sensemaking, undirected symbolic proces ses can hinder effective organizational change. To successfully manage organizational change, leaders need to more actively manage these int angible aspects of the change process.