ABSTRACT
In this theoretical article, the vital role of conflicts in knowledge creation is foregrounded, and the concept of conflict is reimagined using a metaphor of music. Theoretically, knowledge creation is understood as a process in which people, through institutionalisation, synthesise their conflicting institutional arrangements affecting their decisions, actions, and behaviour. Utilising metaphor as a methodological choice, and combining music and organisational conflicts in an analytical framework offer ways to cross and move the boundaries between arts and science of organisational studies. As a result, conflicts are reimagined and reconceptualised as relational, felt meaning and lived experiences of differences in institutional arrangements. This reimagined concept shifts the focus of organisational conflicts from ‘thingification” to human aspects underlying the sense-making of conflict experiences: the evolving story, identity, emotions and power relations.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.