From Vicious to Virtuous Cycles: the Social Symbolic Work of Supporting Actors

The dynamics of paradox can be vicious and virtuous. Facing competing yet interrelated demands, organizational actors may find themselves paralyzed by the tensions, embroiled in a vicious cycle, or learn to embrace and thrive amidst the friction in a virtuous cycle. While studies offer insights into each type of dynamic, little is known about how actors move from one cycle to the other. Through an action research study at a European multinational company, we investigate shifting paradox dynamics, focusing on how the transition unfolds and who enables the shift. Our resulting model depicts how organizational actors tran-sition from a vicious cycle–moving through a cycle break and a cycle reversal–toward a virtuous cycle. Our collaborative methodology sheds light on the role of supporting actors in shaping the social and sym-bolic dimensions that influence focal actors’ responses to tensions. Supporting actors, by virtue of their position as insiders to the organization but outsiders to the paradox, enable this shift by breaking dysfunc-tional dynamics, facilitating new responses, and embedding virtuous dynamics in the organization.