Organizational capabilities for managing stakeholder tensions
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2025-07-04
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en
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This master’s thesis explores how organizations enact paradoxical thinking as a dynamic capability to manage stakeholder tensions. While paradox theory emphasizes the importance of embracing contractions, little is known about how this is operationalized in practice. Using Leonard-Barton’s (1992) four building blocks: skills & knowledge, managerial systems, technical systems and norms & values, this qualitative study analyzes twelve interviews across five organizations, supported by internal documents. The findings show that paradoxical thinking is not a fixed trait but emerges from the interplay between structured learning, decision processes, collaborative tools and an open culture. Skills such as stakeholder mapping and empathy are developed through both formal training and experience. Managerial systems provide structure while enabling flexibility and cultural norms ensure psychological safety for engaging with tensions. Over time, organizations reinforce paradoxical thinking through reflection routines such as team evaluations and retrospectives. This study contributes to paradox and stakeholder theory by revealing how paradoxical thinking becomes embedded as a practical, organizational-wide capability.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen