Editing in organisations: reconstructing narrative meaning in Dutch education industries

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on the (internal and external) dynamics of NPM in the daily life of organisations in the educational sector. We concentrate on the ways in which the NPM is shaped, adapted, transformed through a wide variety of organisational editing and 'editors' through a case of organisation transformation at Edu, an educational institution. The contribution aims to fill some blind spots in the current debate on narrative transformation and explores the question which alternative forms and related types of 'editors' can be identified in a process of narrative transformation in the education sector. For this, we focus on Edu, an organisation which offers intermediate vocational education. In the article four alternative types of organisational editors are identified varying from 'fixers', 'rationalisers', 'brokers' to 'shapers'. The main distinction lines for these subtypes seem to be the focus on either the social or cognitive dimension, although these dimensions cannot be entirely separated, and the front or backstage dominance. The research illustrates that organisational editing provides a powerful source for meaning reproduction and modification.narratives; stories; realities; inclusions; organisational editing; organisational transformation; vocational education; social; cognitive dimension; new public management; narrative transformation; organisational editors.