Continuity of Narratives: Reinterpretations of Polish Business History

Pikos, Anna

Abstract

Purpose: This article seeks to identify the similarities and differences in the narratives of corporate histories published in different periods of time.

Methodology: This study is based on a comparative content analysis of corporate histories of three pharmaceutical plants operating under the “Polfa” Union of the Pharmaceutical Industry based in Poland.

Findings: Corporate histories change depending on the period in which a given history is published. The study reveals that corporate history depends on the nature of the state authority in power at a given time.

Research limitations and implications: This exploratory study concentrates on examination of four corporate histories and contributes to the research on the “uses of the past” in organization studies. Nevertheless, it has several limitations, including a limited number of companies included in the analysis and the adoption of a qualitative approach only.

Originality and value: This is the first article that focuses on a comparative content analysis of corporate histories published at different times in search of the similarities and differences in the domain of corporate narrative.

Keywords

business history (4)narratives (2)corporate history (1)rhetorical histories (1)organizational longevity (2)

References

Alvesson, M. and Kärreman, D. (2000). Taking the linguistic turn in organizational research: Challenges, responses, consequences. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 36(2): 136–158, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886300362002 [Google Scholar]
Amatori, F. and Jones, G. (eds.) (2003). Business History around the World. Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511512100 [Google Scholar]
Barry, D. and Elmes, M. (1997). Strategy retold: Toward a narrative view of strategic discourse. Academy of Management Review, 22(2): 429–452, https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9707154065 [Google Scholar]
Boje, D.M. (1991). Organizations as storytelling networks: A study of story performance in an office-supply firm. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36: 106–126, https://doi.org/10.2307/2393432 [Google Scholar]
Boje, D.M. (1995). Stories of the storytelling organization: A postmodern analysis of Disney as Tamara-land. Academy of Management Journal, 38(4): 997–1035. [Google Scholar]
Boje, D.M., Oswick, C. and Ford, J.D. (2004). Language and organization: The doing of discourse. Academy of Management Review, 29(4): 571–577, https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2004.14497609 [Google Scholar]
Brunninge, O. (2009). Using history in organizations: How managers make purposeful reference to history in strategy processes. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 22(1): 8–26, https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810910933889 [Google Scholar]
Bucheli, M. and Wadhwani, D. (eds.) (2014). Organzations in Time: History, Theory, Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]
Carroll, C.E. (ed.) (2016). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation. SAGE Publications, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483376493 [Google Scholar]
Clark, P. and Rowlinson, M. (2004) The Treatment of History in Organisation Studies: Towards an 'Historic Turn'? Business History, 46(3): 331–352, https://doi.org/10.1080/0007679042000219175 [Google Scholar]
Czarniawska-Joerges, B. (1997). Narrating the organization: Dramas of institutional identity. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. [Google Scholar]
Delahaye, A., Booth, C., Clark, P., Procter, S. and Rowlinson, M. (2009). The genre of corporate history. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 22(1): 27–48, https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810910933898 [Google Scholar]
Durepos, G., Mills, A.J. and Mills, J.H. (2008). Tales in the manufacture of knowledge: Writing a company history of Pan American World Airways. Management & Organizational History, 3(1): 63–80, https://doi.org/10.1177/1744935908090998 [Google Scholar]
Foster, W.M., Coraiola, D.M., Suddaby, R., Kroezen, J. and Chandler, D. (2017). The strategic use of historical narratives: a theoretical framework. Business History, 59(8): 1176–1200, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2016.1224234 [Google Scholar]
Foster, W.M., Coraiola, D. and Suddaby, R.R. (2016). Useful rhetorical history: An ideographic analysis of Fortune 500 corporations. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1, https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2016.120 [Google Scholar]
Jones, G. and Sluyterman, K. (2003). British and Dutch business history. W: F. Amatori and G. Jones, Business history around the world. Cambridge, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511512100.007 [Google Scholar]
Gabriel, Y. (2004). The narrative veil: Truthand untruths in storytelling. In Y. Gabriel (ed.), Myths, Stories and Organizations: Premodern narratives for our times. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]
Gatti, M.C. (2011). The language of competence in corporate histories for company websites. Journal of Business Communication, 48(4): 482–502, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943611414543 [Google Scholar]
Jastrząb, M. (2011). Historia biznesu: czego uczy i czy pomaga zrozumieć światowy kryzys?, Master of Business Administration, 6: 36–47. [Google Scholar]
Kikta, T. (1975). Karty z historii Warszawskich Zakładów POLFA. Warszawa: PZWL. [Google Scholar]
Kołodko, G.W. (2005). The Polish Miracle. Lessons for the Emerging Markets. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. [Google Scholar]
Kostera, M., Sławecki, B. (2014). Opowieści o tworzeniu organizacji. Historiografia przedsiębiorczości jako program badawczy i praktyczny. Problemy Zarządzania, 12(3): 47–63. [Google Scholar]
Koźmiński, A.K. (1993). Catching Up? Case Studies of Organizational and Management Change in the Ex-Socialist Block. Albany: SUNY Press. [Google Scholar]
Koźmiński, A.K. (2008). Management in Transition. Warszawa: Difin. [Google Scholar]
Kurkowska-Bondarecka, K. (1995). Historia polskiego przemysłu farmaceutycznego. Stowarzyszenie Inżynierów i Techników Przemysłu Chemicznego. Zarząd Główny. [Google Scholar]
Lubinski, C. (2018). From 'History as Told'to 'History as Experienced': Contextualizing the Uses of the Past. Organization Studies, 39(12): 1785–1809, https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840618800116 [Google Scholar]
Maclean, M., Harvey, C. and Stringfellow, L. (2017). Narrative, metaphor and the subjective understanding of historic identity transition. Business History, 59(8): 1218–1241, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2016.1223048 [Google Scholar]
Matera, R., Pieczewski, A. (eds.) (2011). Przegląd badań nad historią gospodarczą w XXI wieku. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. [Google Scholar]
McGaughey, S.L. (2013). Institutional entrepreneurship in North American lightning protection standards: Rhetorical history and unintended consequences of failure. Business History, 55(1): 73–97, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2012.687537 [Google Scholar]
Meardi, G., Gardawski, J. and Molina, O. (2015) The dynamics of tripartism in post-democratic transitions: comparative lessons from Spain and Poland. Business History. 57(3): 398–417, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2015.1044516 [Google Scholar]

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APA style

Pikos, Anna (2018). Continuity of Narratives: Reinterpretations of Polish Business History. (2018). Continuity of Narratives: Reinterpretations of Polish Business History. Central European Management Journal, 26(4), 47-63. https://doi.org/10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.242 (Original work published 2018)

MLA style

Pikos, Anna. “Continuity Of Narratives: Reinterpretations Of Polish Business History”. 2018. Central European Management Journal, vol. 26, no. 4, 2018, pp. 47-63.

Chicago style

Pikos, Anna. “Continuity Of Narratives: Reinterpretations Of Polish Business History”. Central European Management Journal, Central European Management Journal, 26, no. 4 (2018): 47-63. doi:10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.242.

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[1] Alvesson, M. and Kärreman, D. (2000). Taking the linguistic turn in organizational research: Challenges, responses, consequences. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 36(2): 136–158, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886300362002 [Google Scholar]

[2] Amatori, F. and Jones, G. (eds.) (2003). Business History around the World. Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511512100 [Google Scholar]

[3] Barry, D. and Elmes, M. (1997). Strategy retold: Toward a narrative view of strategic discourse. Academy of Management Review, 22(2): 429–452, https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9707154065 [Google Scholar]

[4] Boje, D.M. (1991). Organizations as storytelling networks: A study of story performance in an office-supply firm. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36: 106–126, https://doi.org/10.2307/2393432 [Google Scholar]

[5] Boje, D.M. (1995). Stories of the storytelling organization: A postmodern analysis of Disney as Tamara-land. Academy of Management Journal, 38(4): 997–1035. [Google Scholar]

[6] Boje, D.M., Oswick, C. and Ford, J.D. (2004). Language and organization: The doing of discourse. Academy of Management Review, 29(4): 571–577, https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2004.14497609 [Google Scholar]

[7] Brunninge, O. (2009). Using history in organizations: How managers make purposeful reference to history in strategy processes. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 22(1): 8–26, https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810910933889 [Google Scholar]

[8] Bucheli, M. and Wadhwani, D. (eds.) (2014). Organzations in Time: History, Theory, Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]

[9] Carroll, C.E. (ed.) (2016). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation. SAGE Publications, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483376493 [Google Scholar]

[10] Clark, P. and Rowlinson, M. (2004) The Treatment of History in Organisation Studies: Towards an 'Historic Turn'? Business History, 46(3): 331–352, https://doi.org/10.1080/0007679042000219175 [Google Scholar]

[11] Czarniawska-Joerges, B. (1997). Narrating the organization: Dramas of institutional identity. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. [Google Scholar]

[12] Delahaye, A., Booth, C., Clark, P., Procter, S. and Rowlinson, M. (2009). The genre of corporate history. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 22(1): 27–48, https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810910933898 [Google Scholar]

[13] Durepos, G., Mills, A.J. and Mills, J.H. (2008). Tales in the manufacture of knowledge: Writing a company history of Pan American World Airways. Management & Organizational History, 3(1): 63–80, https://doi.org/10.1177/1744935908090998 [Google Scholar]

[14] Foster, W.M., Coraiola, D.M., Suddaby, R., Kroezen, J. and Chandler, D. (2017). The strategic use of historical narratives: a theoretical framework. Business History, 59(8): 1176–1200, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2016.1224234 [Google Scholar]

[15] Foster, W.M., Coraiola, D. and Suddaby, R.R. (2016). Useful rhetorical history: An ideographic analysis of Fortune 500 corporations. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1, https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2016.120 [Google Scholar]

[16] Jones, G. and Sluyterman, K. (2003). British and Dutch business history. W: F. Amatori and G. Jones, Business history around the world. Cambridge, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511512100.007 [Google Scholar]

[17] Gabriel, Y. (2004). The narrative veil: Truthand untruths in storytelling. In Y. Gabriel (ed.), Myths, Stories and Organizations: Premodern narratives for our times. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]

[18] Gatti, M.C. (2011). The language of competence in corporate histories for company websites. Journal of Business Communication, 48(4): 482–502, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943611414543 [Google Scholar]

[19] Jastrząb, M. (2011). Historia biznesu: czego uczy i czy pomaga zrozumieć światowy kryzys?, Master of Business Administration, 6: 36–47. [Google Scholar]

[20] Kikta, T. (1975). Karty z historii Warszawskich Zakładów POLFA. Warszawa: PZWL. [Google Scholar]

[21] Kołodko, G.W. (2005). The Polish Miracle. Lessons for the Emerging Markets. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. [Google Scholar]

[22] Kostera, M., Sławecki, B. (2014). Opowieści o tworzeniu organizacji. Historiografia przedsiębiorczości jako program badawczy i praktyczny. Problemy Zarządzania, 12(3): 47–63. [Google Scholar]

[23] Koźmiński, A.K. (1993). Catching Up? Case Studies of Organizational and Management Change in the Ex-Socialist Block. Albany: SUNY Press. [Google Scholar]

[24] Koźmiński, A.K. (2008). Management in Transition. Warszawa: Difin. [Google Scholar]

[25] Kurkowska-Bondarecka, K. (1995). Historia polskiego przemysłu farmaceutycznego. Stowarzyszenie Inżynierów i Techników Przemysłu Chemicznego. Zarząd Główny. [Google Scholar]

[26] Lubinski, C. (2018). From 'History as Told'to 'History as Experienced': Contextualizing the Uses of the Past. Organization Studies, 39(12): 1785–1809, https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840618800116 [Google Scholar]

[27] Maclean, M., Harvey, C. and Stringfellow, L. (2017). Narrative, metaphor and the subjective understanding of historic identity transition. Business History, 59(8): 1218–1241, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2016.1223048 [Google Scholar]

[28] Matera, R., Pieczewski, A. (eds.) (2011). Przegląd badań nad historią gospodarczą w XXI wieku. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. [Google Scholar]

[29] McGaughey, S.L. (2013). Institutional entrepreneurship in North American lightning protection standards: Rhetorical history and unintended consequences of failure. Business History, 55(1): 73–97, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2012.687537 [Google Scholar]

[30] Meardi, G., Gardawski, J. and Molina, O. (2015) The dynamics of tripartism in post-democratic transitions: comparative lessons from Spain and Poland. Business History. 57(3): 398–417, https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2015.1044516 [Google Scholar]

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