Getting In: Integrating Environmental Considerations Into Ongoing Organizational Activities

This paper describes the practices used by members of a high-tech manufacturer to bring considerations of environmental impact into the design of new manufacturing processes. Drawing from ethnographic, archival, and interview data on seven projects over an eight year time span, I demonstrate that contests over the meaning and legitimacy of the environmental issues were significant, but were overcome over time by practices of framing, negotiating support, and mobilizing resources. The practice of framing as a mechanism to create shared meaning emerged as the key factor that led to the successful integration of environmental considerations. I use this finding to build theory on how fundamentally new knowledge is introduced into ongoing organizational practice by relatively powerless groups. (117 words) (key words: organizational adaptation, knowledge boundaries, environmental management) Suggested Track: C. Knowledge sharing within and across organizations and cultures E. The relationship between knowledge and power G. Practice-based perspective on knowledge and learning I am grateful to Paul Carlile, Sue Newell, Harry Scarbrough and members of the MIT ORGIT group for their valuable feedback on an earlier version of this paper.