Communication During Career and Organizational Transitions

• sensemaking theory: experience a discrepancy in routine, trigger an interpretive process; “autopilot”

  • retrospective

  • enactive

  • social

  • ongoing

  • driven

  • involves identity

• can transition between jobs, careers, organizations, organizational levels

• individual level

  • promotions to higher ranks

  • domestic or international job transfers

  • career plateaus

• organizational level

  • M&A

  • layoffs

• pre-move, transition, tightening

• RIF — reductions in force

• sensebreaking: is communication that challenges current understandings of a situation as incorrect

• sensegiving: is communication that tries to influence others to accept a certain interpretation or understanding of the situation

• domestic transfer:

• international transfer:

• career plateau: is a transition, at least psychologically, as the individual must make sense of a situation in which additional advancements are unlikely

• mergers: occurs when two roughly equal partners or organizations join their material assets, operations, technology, personnel, and culture into one; by contrast

• acquisitions: involve one organization, usually the larger one, buying the other organization and absorbing it into its operations and culture

• pre-announcement phase, announcement, post-layoff