Paradoxos na de organizações culturais: singuralidades, processo e narrativas

Abstract

The importance of the creative economy is increasingly recognized in contemporary society due to its symbolic and economic impacts. At the core of this economy are cultural organizations, which experience a tension between the symbolic dimension (art, creation, innovation) and the material dimension (commerce, management, sustainability). This fundamental paradox manifests in various other conflicts that affect the everyday management of these organizations. However, there is a lack of research that examines their management through theoretical frameworks that address their unique characteristics. This research aims to explore the management of cultural organizations through the theory of organizational paradoxes. Methodologically, we adopted the Biographical Methods approach, specifically using narrative practices with a group of 15 experienced professionals involved in managing cultural organizations. Our sources of information included narrative interviews and direct observation. The thesis is structured in article format. The first article provides an integrated and critical overview of academic research related to cultural organizations, highlighting theoretical and conceptual results such as: existing research perspectives (technical-operational and political), the unique characteristics of these organizations (hypersensitivity, hypertension, and hyper-uncertainty), and the paradox as a theoretical framework for future studies. The second article offers a critical overview of the academic production on the use of biographical methods in management, developing an updated and integrated understanding of these methods to encourage their future application in research. The third article illustrates how paradoxes shape the management of cultural organizations, focusing on key paradoxes that characterize their daily operations: the paradox of creativity, the paradox of identity, and the paradox of autonomy. The fourth article investigates the paradoxical process of creativity within cultural organizations, developing a theoretical framework that outlines a model composed of three movements (perceiving, approaching, and unfolding) and two dimensions (intra-organizational and inter-organizational). This results in the identification of three distinct management profiles: infant, sentinel, and artist. The fifth article discusses the concept of a paradoxical mindset in cultural organizations, outlining five principles that guide their management: observation, contextualization, positivization, collectivization, and renewal. The findings underscore the inherently paradoxical nature of cultural organizations and demonstrate the significance of paradox theory for a deeper understanding of these entities. This research proposes an integrative approach that harmonizes management processes, thereby unlocking the innovation and creativity embedded within organizational paradoxes. We highlight contributions to theorizing the management of cultural organizations as well as the study of paradoxes. Additionally, we discuss methodological contributions aimed at advancing knowledge in management. Finally, we outline practical implications for managers, educators, and policymakers within the organizations that constitute the creative economy.