How Orchestration Both Generates and Reduces Polyphony in Narrative Strategy-Making

Although we have seen a growing interest in participatory strategy-making, there is paucity of knowledge about the role polyphony and how it may be orchestrated. Our longitudinal analysis revealing case shows narrative strategy-making unfolded four temporally overlapping phases: First, top-down effort to lead resulted polyphony, which was nevertheless largely controlled from top. Second, followed by autonomous units, leading that less but still partly Third, all this triggered an emergence counternarratives offering alternatives overall narrative, thus generating ‘genuine’ not Fourth, as response, top decision-makers launched update, again seizing more control polyphony. Thus, our study advances prior research elucidating orchestration both generates reduces By so doing, helps us move dichotomous view participation openness towards nuanced appreciation alternative voices they or emerge strategy-making.