Accomplishing paradox latency with a coordinating routine : a process perspective on accomplishing stability in a pluralistic organization

This paper investigates how the paradox of differentiation and integration becomes latent through a routine by which the relatively autonomous actors move forward organization wide issues. The paradox lens provides a promising perspective to explore pluralistic organizations. While it argues that paradoxes are integral to organizations it assumes that they remain latent without addressing how paradox latency is assomplished. By using routine dynamics, this study investigates the routinely and situative enactment of the paradox of differentiation and integration. The single research setting of a qualitative longitudinal case study shows how paradox latency is accomplished within the executive board during an initiative of integrating two hospitals. Accomplishment of paradox latency reveals different patterns which are integral to a coordinating routine by which this hospital moves forward organization wide issues despite its plurality. This coordinating routine and the paradox of differentiation and integration form a duality which explains how a pluralistic organization achieves stability. The proposed duality further advances the paradox lens by attending to paradox latency. In addition, the proposed duality addresses the current interest in routine dynamics on relating groups of routines.