The art and science of Story or ‘Are you sitting uncomfortably?’

Abstract

Part two of a two-part article continuing the theme of a earlier article (BIR, 17(3) Sep 2000, 147–156) which outlined some of the uses of storytelling for communication and knowledge disclosure. Story is positioned against other approaches to storytelling in organizations and identifies the different forms of purposeful story that can be constructed using anecdotal material, archetypes and values extracted from an organization. Four contrasting approaches to the use of stories within an organizational context are extracted from the literature: stories as a research tool; enhancing actual stories; embracing fiction; and traditional forms of story. Story is distinguished by: its anecdotal collection methods which reduce the impact of the researcher; the use of anecdotal material for stories the identification of archetypes and organizing principles expressed in those anecdotes; the deliberate attempt to change or reinforce the culture as represented by those archetypes and organizing principles; and the emphasis on construction of the story in a collaborative context. Concludes by discussing the various types and uses of these stories and the ethical principles involved in the use of story technique.