Communication and attention dynamics: An attention‐based view of strategic change

• Author: Tomi Laamanen,William Ocasio,Eero Vaara
• Date: 01 January 2018
• Published date: 01 January 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2702

PROSPECTIVE

Communication and attention dynamics: An

attention-based view of strategic change

William Ocasio

1

| Tomi Laamanen

2

| Eero Vaara

3,4,5

1

Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern

University, Evanston, Illinois

2

Institute of Management, University of St.

Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland

3

Department of Management Studies, Aalto

University School of Business, Aalto, Finland

4

EM LYON Business School, Écully, France

5

Entrepreneurship, Strategy & Innovation

Department, Lancaster University Management

School, Lancaster, U.K.

Correspondence

Tomi Laamanen, University of St. Gallen,

Dufourstrasse 40a, CH-9000 St. Gallen,

Switzerland.

Email: tomi.laamanen@unisg.ch

Research Summary: The attention-based view (ABV)

has highlighted the role of organizational attention in stra-

tegic decision making and adaptation. The tendency to

view communication channels as “pipes and prisms”for

information processing has, however, limited its ability to

address strategic change. We propose a broader role for

communication as a process by which actors can attend

to and engage with organizational and environmental

issues and initiatives and argue that such a view can sig-

nificantly advance understanding of strategic change. On

this basis, we offer suggestions for future research on

communication practices, vocabularies, rhetorical tactics,

and talk and text in shaping organizational attention in

strategic change. We also maintain that this enhanced

view of the ABV can help advance research on dynamic

capabilities, strategy processes, strategy-as-practice, and

behavioral strategy.

Managerial Summary: To further enhance our capabili-

ties to manage strategic change and renewal processes in

organizations, we need a better understanding of how to

manage organizational attention. In this article, we high-

light the importance of understanding the role of commu-

nication and discuss the use of different communication

practices, vocabularies, rhetorical tactics, and talk and

text as possible levers that can be used to dynamically

shape organizational attention. We call for further

research to advance the understanding of how these

levers can be used to influence the ways in which differ-

ent sets of strategic issues, initiatives, and action alterna-

tives are handled. We believe that such an enhanced view

of organizational attention can enable the development of

new, improved strategy practices to manage strategic

change and renewal processes.

Received: 19 February 2015 Revised: 28 May 2017 Accepted: 8 July 2017

DOI: 10.1002/smj.2702

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© 2016 The Authors. Strategic Management Journal published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.