Presenting a Conceptual Model of the Effectiveness of Storytelling at Different Stages of Strategic Management in Organizations

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31181/msa21202510

Keywords:

Organizational Storytelling, Strategic Management, Common Sense, Organizational Strategies, Story

Abstract

In the two decades since storytelling has been called "spreading the common sense of organizations". Research and study in the field of storytelling in management has devoted a wide range of research. Organizational storytelling is a new and modern management technique that has led to the success of many executive projects in large and famous organizations. Therefore, the necessity and importance of familiarizing Iranian organizations with this new management technique is evident. Organizational strategies, like old stories, are long-term processes. Strategies and strategic plans focus on the long-term goals and processes of the organization. Strategies are a tool for achieving long-term goals. Considering these cases, this article presents a conceptual model of the effectiveness of storytelling in various strategic management processes in organizations. A conceptual model with 20 storytelling applications has been presented. Experts in this study have also approved this model, and different statistical tests, including the binomial test and Friedman, have also been used for its validity, reliability, and performance. For the case study, Madiran Industrial Group, one of the leading companies in the information technology field, is selected. The results indicate that only nine out of 20 suggested uses of organizational storytelling are used in this organization. It should be noted that this research is one of the first studies to examine and create a conceptual framework for using organizational storytelling in strategic management.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Vivek, R., & Nanthagopan, Y. (2023). Storytelling as a Qualitative Approach for Organizational Management. European Journal of Management Issues, 31(2), 113-122. https://doi.org/10.15421/192310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15421/192310

Daradkeh, M.K. (2021). An empirical examination of the relationship between data storytelling competency and business performance: the mediating role of decision-making quality. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing (JOEUC), 33(5), 42-73. https://doi.org/10.4018/JOEUC.20210901.oa3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/JOEUC.20210901.oa3

Farzaneh, M., Wilden, R., Afshari, L., & Mehralian, G. (2022). Dynamic capabilities and innovation ambidexterity: The roles of intellectual capital and innovation orientation. Journal of Business Research, 148, 47-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.030

Vila-Henninger, L., Dupuy, C., Van Ingelgom, V., Caprioli, M., Teuber, F., Pennetreau, D., et al. (2024). Abductive coding: Theory building and qualitative (re) analysis. Sociological Methods & Research, 53(2), 968-1001. https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241211067508. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241211067508

AlTaweel, I.R., & Al-Hawary, S.I. (2021). The mediating role of innovation capability on the relationship between strategic agility and organizational performance. Sustainability, 13(14), 7564. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147564. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147564

Mäkelä, M., & Meretoja, H. (2022). Critical approaches to the storytelling boom. Poetics Today, 43(2), 191-218. https://doi.org/10.1215/03335372-9642567. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1215/03335372-9642567

Kemp, A., Gravois, R., Syrdal, H., & McDougal, E. (2023). Storytelling is not just for marketing: Cultivating a storytelling culture throughout the organization. Business Horizons, 66(3), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.01.008.

Al Harazi, Y.K., Tian, G., Shah, S.A.A., Al Harazi, A.K., Alwan, S.Y., & Amer, A.M.A. (2023). Unlocking the potential of e-commerce in Yemen: Identifying key impacting factors and exploring strategic solutions. Sustainability, 15(18), 13712. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813712. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813712

Osei-Tutu, A.A. (2023). Developing African oral traditional storytelling as a framework for studying with African peoples. Qualitative Research, 23(6), 1497-1514. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941221082263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941221082263

Nee, R.C., & Santana, A.D. (2022). Podcasting the pandemic: exploring storytelling formats and shifting journalistic norms in news podcasts related to the coronavirus. Journalism Practice, 16(8), 1559-1577. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1882874. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1882874

Mills, A.J., & John, J. (2025). Brand stories: bringing narrative theory to brand management. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 33(1), 35-53. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2020.1853201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2020.1853201

Myers, C.G. (2022). Storytelling as a tool for vicarious learning among air medical transport crews. Administrative Science Quarterly, 67(2), 378-422. https://doi.org/10.1177/00018392211058426. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00018392211058426

Kemp, A., Gravois, R., Syrdal, H., & McDougal, E. (2023). Storytelling is not just for marketing: Cultivating a storytelling culture throughout the organization. Business Horizons, 66(3), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.01.008.

Osburn, L.D. (2025). Telling stories about vendors: narrative practices to negotiate risk and establish an organizational cybersecurity culture. Journal of Cybersecurity, 11(1), tyae030. https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyae030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyae030

Marshall, H., Wilkins, K., & Bennett, L. (2023). Story thinking for technology foresight. Futures, 146, 103098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2023.103098. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2023.103098

Kluger, A.N., & Itzchakov, G. (2022). The power of listening at work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9(1), 121-146. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091013

Kemp, A., Gravois, R., Syrdal, H., & McDougal, E. (2023). Storytelling is not just for marketing: Cultivating a storytelling culture throughout the organization. Business Horizons, 66(3), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.01.008.

Palioura, M., & Dimoulas, C. (2022). Digital storytelling in education: A transmedia integration approach for the non-developers. Education Sciences, 12(8), 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080559. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080559

Chang, J. (2025). The mediating role of brand image in the relationship between storytelling marketing and purchase intention: case study of PX mart. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00447-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00447-4

Kemp, A., Gravois, R., Syrdal, H., & McDougal, E. (2023). Storytelling is not just for marketing: Cultivating a storytelling culture throughout the organization. Business Horizons, 66(3), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.01.008.

Sung, E., Han, D.I.D., Choi, Y.K., Gillespie, B., Couperus, A., & Koppert, M. (2023). Augmented digital human vs. human agents in storytelling marketing: Exploratory electroencephalography and experimental studies. Psychology & Marketing, 40(11), 2428-2446. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21898. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21898

Júnior, J.R.D.O., Limongi, R., Lim, W.M., Eastman, J.K., & Kumar, S. (2023). A story to sell: The influence of storytelling on consumers' purchasing behavior. Psychology & Marketing, 40(2), 239-261. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21758. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21758

Mavilinda, H. F., Putri, Y. H., & Nazaruddin, A. (2023). Is Storytelling Marketing Effective in Building Customer Engagement and Driving Purchase Decisions?. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 14(2), 274-296. https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v14i2.17830. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v14i2.17830

Cordeil, M., Servais, A., Truong, G., Dwyer, T., Vyas, D., & Hurter, C. (2025). The Presenter in the Browser: Design and Evaluation of Human Interactive Overlays with Web Content. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 9(2), 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti9020010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/mti9020010

Dessart, L., & Standaert, W. (2023). Strategic storytelling in the age of sustainability. Business Horizons, 66(3), 371-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.01.005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.01.005

Kemp, A., Gravois, R., Syrdal, H., & McDougal, E. (2023). Storytelling is not just for marketing: Cultivating a storytelling culture throughout the organization. Business Horizons, 66(3), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.01.008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.01.008

McDowell, K. (2021). Storytelling wisdom: Story, information, and DIKW. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 72(10), 1223-1233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.01.008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24466

Brown, A.D., Gabriel, Y., & Gherardi, S. (2009). Storytelling and change: An unfolding story. Organization, 16(3), 323-333. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508409102298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508409102298

Mitchell, S.L., & Clark, M. (2021). Telling a different story: How nonprofit organizations reveal strategic purpose through storytelling. Psychology & Marketing, 38(1), 142-158. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21429. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21429

Rideout, J.C. (2008). Storytelling, narrative rationality, and legal persuasion. Legal Writing: Journal of Legal Writing Instute, 14, 53.

Küpers, W., Mantere, S., & Statler, M. (2013). Strategy as storytelling: A phenomenological collaboration. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(1), 83-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492612439089. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492612439089

Snowden, D. (1999). Story telling: an old skill in a new context. Business Information Review, 16(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382994237045. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382994237045

Block, E., & Lovegrove, R. (2021). Discordant storytelling,‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: How uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices. Public Relations Inquiry, 10(3), 265-293. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X211026936. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X211026936

Deacon, B., & Murphey, T. (2001). Deep impact storytelling. English Teaching Forum, 39(4), 10-15.

Meidlinger, K.B. (1994). We come to tell our story; we come to break the bread. The organizational stories of a parish staff. San Jose State University.

Tyler, J.A. (2007). Incorporating storytelling into practice: How HRD practitioners foster strategic storytelling. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 18(4), 559-587. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.1219. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.1219

Perret, R., Borges, M.R., & Santoro, F.M. (2004). Applying group storytelling in knowledge management. In: International Conference on Collaboration and Technology (pp. 34-41). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30112-7_4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30112-7_4

Zhang, X., & Ramayah, T. (2024). Solving the mystery of storytelling in destination marketing: A systematic review. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 59, 222-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.04.013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.04.013

Van Assche, K., Verschraegen, G., & Gruezmacher, M. (2021). Strategy for collectives and common goods: Coordinating strategy, long-term perspectives and policy domains in governance. Futures, 128, 102716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102716. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102716

Hansen, J.R., Pop, M., Skov, M.B., & George, B. (2024). A review of open strategy: bridging strategy and public management research. Public Management Review, 26(3), 678-700. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2116091. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2116091

Gorzelany, J., Gorzelany–Dziadkowiec, M., Luty, L., Firlej, K., Gaisch, M., Dudziak, O., & Scott, C. (2021). Finding links between organisation’s culture and innovation. The impact of organisational culture on university innovativeness. Plos one, 16(10), e0257962. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257962. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257962

Prince, M., & Forr, J. (2021). Metaphor elicitation: A new way to assess organizational culture. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 24(4), 199. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000118

Nordensvard, J., & Ketola, M. (2022). Populism as an act of storytelling: analyzing the climate change narratives of Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg as populist truth-tellers. Environmental Politics, 31(5), 861-882. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2021.1996818. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2021.1996818

Lane, A. (2023). Towards a theory of organizational storytelling for public relations: An engagement perspective. Public Relations Review, 49(1), 102297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2023.102297. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2023.102297

Published

2025-03-24

How to Cite

Hajiakhondi, A. ., Sadeghi, A., & Karbbasi Yazdi, A. (2025). Presenting a Conceptual Model of the Effectiveness of Storytelling at Different Stages of Strategic Management in Organizations. Management Science Advances, 2(1), 91-106. https://doi.org/10.31181/msa21202510