Narrativ organisationsudvikling: Skabelsen af en ønskværdig fremtid ved et virksomhedsopkøb

Abstract

In this thesis we conduct an empirical study of Schneider Electric’s acquisition of 7 Technologies, with the focus on examining how the employees and leaders of 7-­‐Technologies experience being a part of Schneider Electric. Our purpose with this study is to examine how the postmodern practice of narrative organization development can contribute to the creation of a desirable future of 7 Technologies as an integrated part of Schneider Electric. In this examination we explore and develop the narratives of the employees and leaders of 7 Technologies concerning their experiences with the integration, by applying the practice of narrative organization development containing a combination of systemic-­‐ and narrative practice as well as Appreciative Inquiry. In this manner, our purpose with the individual dialogues is to intervene positively by deconstructing possible dominating narratives and look for unique outcomes, and thereby create alternative and preferred narratives about the integration. Then, on the basis of the most important aspects of the analysis of these dialogues, we furthermore conclude how narrative organization development can contribute to a desirable future of 7 Technologies as an integrated part of Schneider Electric. We conclude that there are generally two different attitudes to the integration among the employees across and internally in the two departments of 7 Technologies, which requires a divided narrative re-­‐authoring process in the creation of desirable narratives about the integration. We also conclude that 7 Technologies possesses some special characteristics across the two attitudes, which we consider important to unfold and thicken as part of preferred narratives that can contribute to a desirable future of 7 Technologies as an integrated part of Schneider Electric. To accomplish this, we carry out a definitional ceremony with a combination of witnessing and reflective processes. We conclude that we succeed and that the ceremony also contributes to the creation of nuanced perspectives concerning the challenges during the integration process so that these can be extended to alternative and preferred narratives. On the basis of the most important aspects of the analysis of the ceremony, we furthermore conclude how interventions of the practice of narrative organization development can contribute to the creation of a desirable future of 7 Technologies as an integrated part of Schneider Electric.