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The Sacred Canopy: Narratives, Stories and Culture in a Malaysian Organisation. AHMAD, Che Mahzan

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The Sacred Canopy: Narratives, Stories and Culture in a Malaysian Organisation. AHMAD, Che Mahzan The sacred canopy: Narratives, stories and culture in a Malaysian organisation. AHMAD, Che Mahzan. Available from Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive (SHURA) at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20628/ This document is the author deposited version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it. Published version AHMAD, Che Mahzan. (2001). The sacred canopy: Narratives, stories and culture in a Malaysian organisation. Doctoral, Sheffield Hallam University (United Kingdom).. Copyright and re-use policy See http://shura.shu.ac.uk/information.html Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive http://shura.shu.ac.uk REFERENCE ProQuest Number: 10701275 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10701275 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 The Sacred Canopy: Narratives, Stories and Culture in a Malaysian Organisation Che Mahzan Ahmad A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of Sheffield Hallam University For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March, 2000 (Re-submitted, March, 2001) In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful Dedicated to my mother, my late father, my brothers, my sister, my in-laws, my extended family, Noor Hasnah, Siti Aisyah, Muhammad Idris, Muhammad 'Ammar and Huda Sofiah for their love and patience. The sacred canopy: Narratives, stories and culture in a Malaysian organisation Abstract The starting point for this research is the importance of narrative in our life. Many scholars regard it as the organising principle by which people organise their experience in, knowledge about, and transaction in the social world. Indeed, authoring and co-authoring narratives have been cited as among the most important communicative actions in an organisation. This study adapts Fisher’s (1987) narrative paradigm to explore how organisational members view their reality. Human beings in this view are seen as homo narrans — both as storytellers and objects of storytelling. Narratives act as vehicles through which organisational members can offer definitions and explanations of their work life. They act as a metacode transmitting shared meaning. As a consequence, members establish definitional boundaries through which they judge and understand the situation at hand. Recognising the limitations of this paradigm, the analysis in this research study adds Pacanowsky’s (1983) application of Geertz’s (1973) cultural insights to organisational life. To Pacanowsky, organisational culture is the residue of employees' performances. To Geertz, such performances are an ensemble of texts. In summary, the following main perspectives informed this research: a) Human beings are storytellers b) Culture is the root metaphor of organisational life c) Organisational culture is a text d) A text must be read and interpreted in the meaning-making process. To reflect this theoretical perspective, hermeneutics was used as the method of inquiry. A series of in-depth interviews were conducted over time to gather data on the use and content of narratives within a Malaysian organisation, Palmyra. During a period of change, stories and narratives are often ‘emotional’ in nature. This is understandable as change brings a new arrangement of reality. At Palmyra, an organisation that deals primarily with language and literature, the narratives and stories revolved around what was called the ‘re-inventing programme’. Besides re­ positioning staff and offices, management aimed to ‘bring religion back to the workplace’ and this became an important agenda in the whole planned change. This approach to organisational change views change as a matter of body, mind and soul. The stability of nafs (the inner self) is regarded as important, and organisation is seen as a moral problem. This research shows how this approach can be understood in the light of the tawhidic paradigm. The implementation of the change programme brought many important undercurrents (shadows) to the fore, and these were reflected in the narratives, which emerged. Tribalism or parochialism was one of them. The organisation members who felt displaced responded through various means. Among others, they utilised the power of literature and hidden transcripts. Many ancient and classical texts were given new interpretations. Various forms of halus (refined and indirect) were identified as ways of communicating their unhappiness. While sharing many of the themes, which can be identified in European and American research on organisational change, these forms of resistance used methods and symbols, which were distinctively Malaysian. This research study makes a number of important contributions to organisational communication studies. In particular: 1. It adds new knowledge to an understudied area in organisational communication, namely the analysis and significance of stories in the workplace. 2. It also contributes to another underrepresented area of study, namely the religious aspects of organisational communication culture. 3. It demonstrates the value of qualitative research methods in organisational communication studies in Malaysia, where previously quantitative methods have been dominant. AGKN0 WLEDGEMEN1TS I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed in various ways and make it possible for this thesis to be produced. Space does not allow me to mention each and everyone. I am indebted to my supervisory team, Professor Peter Hartley, Professor John McAuley and Kathy Doherty for the fruitful discussions, patience and enthusiasm throughout the study and during the completion of this thesis. To Professor Heather Hopfl and Professor Chas Critcher I would like to say terima kasih for their constructive comments and insights. My special thanks also goes to everyone at Mundela House. My deepest gratitude is to my family without whom this academic endeavour would not have been possible. I am thankful and indebted to my wife, Noor Hasnah, who during my 'absence of leave’ take a heavy load of responsibility in looking after my four children, Siti Aisyah, Muhammad Idris, Muhammad 'Ammar and Huda Sofiah. Their unconditional love without doubt has given me strength to pursue this degree. I am also grateful to all my sisters and brothers who have tirelessly encouraged me throughout my study. I would like to acknowledge my sponsor, the International Islamic University of Malaysia, for financial assistance. My gratitude goes to Professor Dr. Haji Yusof Hussain for his effort in securing my scholarship. Last but not least, I would like to thank people at Palmyra for making this engagement possible. To Sheffield Malaysian Community, I rendered my thank you for making my stay in Sheffield a happy one. To Razif, Khairul, Hasli and Saiful Hasam, I say jazakallah khairan for helping me with my final draft. Most of all I would like to thank God for giving me the courage and perseverance to finish this thesis. As an endnote to this acknowledgement, I would like to present a complimentary pantun to people at Palmyra for telling me their stories. Yang kurik itu kendi Yang merah itu saga Yang baik itu budi Yang indah itu bahasa. :r. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Prologue 1 Theoretical and research significance 5 The nature of problem 8 Propositions 10 Research question 12 Endnote 12 Outline of dissertation 13 1. ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION NARRATIVES: AN OVERVIEW Introduction 14 Understanding organisational communication 14 Narratives as communication 17 Metaphors of communication 18 As transmission of messages 18 As transaction of messages 18 As production and exchange of meaning 19 Organisational communication narratives mosaic 20 As message related process 20 As generation of meaning process 21 As relationship 24 As dialogue 27 As voice 30 As hermeneutical understanding 30 As reading text 32 As shadow 34 As emotional 36 Conclusion 37 2. ORGANISATIONAL STORIES : A REVIEW Introduction 39 Organisational communication and culture 39 Defining organisational stories (OS) 42 As fiction 44 As accounts 45 As voices 46 As performances 46 As language activities 47 As anthropomorphism 47 Stories configurations 48 Organisational stories and emotion 49 As drama 52 Reflections 58 Conclusion 60 3. METHODOLOGY OF THE FIELD Introduction 62 Hermeneutics as mode of inquiry 63 Research as activity 68 Research strategy 72 Why field study? 74 Data and data gathering techniques 75 Research as mode of learning 78 Hermeneutics theoretical relevancy 79 Endnote 83 4. PALMYRA AND ITS PEOPLE Background 84 The picture 86 The structure 88 Characters/Actors 89 5. TALES FROM PALMYRA Introduction 91 The process of data-making 94 No tape-recorder, please! 94 Pandai-pandai 94 Data collection 96 Interviews: My pre-understandings 97 Vorurteils on organisation 99 Entering the field 101 The ghost of Wittgenstein 102 Tali people 103 Hawthorn rescue 105 I am the instrument of research 106 The Talis 108 The CEO Kaypi 108 The mirror 108 The overseas trips 110
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