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“Trust but verify”: how middle managers in a multinational use proverbs to translate an imported management concept

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Tuulikki Outila, Virpi , Piekkari, Rebecca , Mihailova, Irina and Angouri, Jo (2020) “Trust but verify”: how middle managers in a multinational use proverbs to translate an imported management concept. Organization Studies, 42 (10). pp. 1581-1601. doi:10.1177/0170840620934065 ISSN 0170-8406.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840620934065

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Abstract

In this paper we report on how middle managers in a Russian subsidiary translate empowerment, a ‘western’ management concept imposed by the Finnish headquarters. The analysis shows that in their discursive struggles these middle managers mobilised proverbs to address competing discourses that reflected imported and local ideals of good management. We advance organisational translation research by highlighting the value of proverbs as an understudied discursive resource in translation activities on the ground. The paper also examines the dual role of middle managers as both translators and implementers of an imported and imposed concept in a multinational corporation. Translation work carried out by middle managers in multinationals has received limited attention in previous research. Finally, by bringing together the discursive and the interlingual, we join recent efforts to broaden the definition of translation to encompass translation work undertaken in multilingual organisations.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Applied Linguistics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Organizational change -- Russia (Federation), Middle managers -- Russia (Federation), Translating and interpreting , Meaning (Psychology), Business -- Translating
Journal or Publication Title: Organization Studies
Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd.
ISSN: 0170-8406
Official Date: 1 October 2020
Dates:
DateEvent
1 October 2020Published
26 May 2020Available
20 April 2020Accepted
Volume: 42
Number: 10
Page Range: pp. 1581-1601
DOI: 10.1177/0170840620934065
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): Outila, V. T., Piekkari, R., Mihailova, I., & Angouri, J. (2020). Author Accepted Manuscript: “Trust but verify”: How middle managers in a multinational use proverbs to translate an imported management concept. Organization Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840620934065. Copyright © 2020 (The Authors). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications. Additionally, please provide a link to the appropriate DOI for the published version of the Contribution on the SAGE Journals website (http://journals.sagepub.com).
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit: 5 June 2020
Date of first compliant Open Access: 9 June 2020

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