Organizational Information Theory (aka why we think like we do)

     Although many of us "don't care" what others think, it is almost inevitable to make decisions without thinking of others.  There is a three step process that occurs when organizing thoughts; these steps stem from Karl Weick's theory of organizing.  Weick defined organizing as, "the resolving of equivocality in an enacted environment by means of interlocked behaviors embedded in conditionally related processes" (p.91).  Basically this means looking at ones environment and seeing how and why we act and think like we do.
     Before we discuss the three steps, it is important to note that Weick wants to look at one's surrounding environment.  Not so much the physical surroundings but more like the atmosphere that has been created by surrounding individuals.  Now we will look at the interrelated processes starting with the first step.
     The enactment process, individuals look at this environment that has been created.  How one reacts to this affects the ongoing environment.  My example for this process is going to an event and being overdressed.  You can react in several ways.  However one responds impacts the environment.  If you just go with it and say that you like to dress up, than the environment will most likely be positive.
     Next is the selection process; here Weick argues that a main function of organizing is to make sense of the information environment.  Weick's recent ideas about characteristics of the sensemaking process are presented in his 1995 study.  One characteristic of sensemaking is social.  The explanation for this characteristic is that sensemaking depends on interaction with others.  Even thinking to oneself is never solitary because what we do "internally is contingent on others."  Going back to the overdressed example, your internal thoughts depend on maybe who you are with, who is at the event, etc.
     The last process is retention.  Miller stated, "When particular schemas are used to make sense of an equivocal information environment, they can be stored for future use." This retention may be used for anything, such as next I come to this party dress causal like everyone else.  Causal maps is a term that means to link certain behaviors with their predicted outcome; such as if I come to this party dressed up, everyone will look me.  Items retained are not necessarily consistent with each other.  If one never dresses up for this party again will they ever be noticed? Sometimes previous retentions might keep us back from going forward.
     The ways in which we respond to things, define who we are as a person.
For more information:
Miller, K. (2007). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts. McGraw-Hill publishing.
Weick, K. (1995). Sensemaking in Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.