Illustrate Weick's Process of Sense Making, and Explain Its Importance

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Weick's process of sensemaking is a theory that explains how individuals and organizations make sense of ambiguous and uncertain situations. According to Weick, sensemaking is an ongoing process that involves collecting information, interpreting it, and creating a coherent understanding of the situation. This process is often driven by the need to reduce uncertainty and make decisions in complex environments.

Weick identified several key components of sensemaking, including enactment, selection, and retention. Enactment refers to the process of actively engaging with the environment and collecting information. Selection involves filtering and interpreting the information that has been collected, while retention involves integrating the information into existing knowledge and memory.

The importance of sensemaking to organizational communication is significant. In a rapidly changing and complex environment, organizations often face ambiguous and uncertain situations. Sensemaking helps individuals and groups within the organization to make sense of these situations, reducing uncertainty and enabling them to take appropriate action. This is particularly important in crisis situations, where quick and effective decision-making is crucial.

Furthermore, sensemaking also plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture and identity. As individuals within the organization engage in the sensemaking process, they create shared meanings and interpretations of their experiences. This shared understanding helps to shape the organization's culture and identity, influencing how employees communicate and collaborate with each other.

In summary, Weick's process of sensemaking is important to organizational communication as it helps individuals and organizations make sense of ambiguous and uncertain situations, reduces uncertainty, and enables effective decision-making. It also plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture and identity, influencing how employees communicate and collaborate within the organization.

Illustrate Weick's Process of Sense Making, and Explain Its Importance

Definitions: