Recognizing complex patterns in unexpected workplace behaviour and events: A grounded theory

Often, managers observe unanticipated organizational behaviours and events that make no sense according to set plans, strategies, or objectives. System theorists suggest that this often occurs because of organizations' inherent complexity. Complex systems spontaneously self-organize---without participants' intention or awareness---into potent, unplanned behaviour patterns. Self-organized patterns operate autonomously to organizational intent. As such, they can interfere with managerial directives.; How can managers detect complex, self-organized patterns amidst the apparent chaos of unexpected organizational behaviour? This dissertation presents a grounded theory study of practitioners demonstrating the capacity to identify and understand self-organized dynamics in the workplace. This study combines practical experience of workplace "pattern analysts" with a theoretical foundation grounded in organizational research.; "Self-organized pattern identification and analysis" (SOPIA) begins with the cognitive dissonance occurring when pattern analysts encounter apparently anomalous workplace behaviour. If analysts successfully set aside preconceived notions of what should be occurring to explore what is occurring, a full SOPIA investigation can unfold.; Central to that investigation is discerning coherence, a process aimed at achieving a welcoming cognitive stance enabling analysts to detach from normative expectations about appropriate corporate behaviour, to detect the patterned "logic" in apparently "illogical" group behaviours. This cognitive stance enables analysts to identify analogues---generally from non-business sources---helping them to discern a coherent pattern in unexpected workplace behaviours. The identified pattern becomes a hypothesis which analysts typically test in various ways. Once satisfied that they have accurately understood a pattern, analysts decide how to use their knowledge of a company's self-organized behaviour to try halting or shifting that pattern. Participants in this study reported some notable successes at identifying and shifting damaging workplace patterns that had remained undetected and misunderstood for years. Participants also shared the difficulties of disclosing pattern observations in the workplace.; Theorists suggest that self-organized dynamics often obstruct leaders' attempts to implement organizational change. Detecting self-organized patterns may enable managers to understand what drives organizational behaviour and what hampers organizational transformation. This dissertation describes processes that organizational practitioners have used to understand and manage the self-organized complexities of contemporary workplaces; and it offers propositions for future research.