Thesis
Strategizing in extreme contexts : an archival study of Doctors Without Borders
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2025
- Thesis identifier
- ["T17261"]
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201693885
- Qualification Level
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- "Extreme context strategizing: what does this mean? Explaining it, I am keen. Exploring an organization in extreme contexts, What can be found in the archival texts? The story of Doctors without Borders In four extreme cases full of disorders. A multifaceted, multi-level and complex process Like a game of chess. Faced with a moral dilemma, Prioritizing and creating are on the agenda. Sensemaking, ethical decision-making and learning Are the key constituent sub-processes of extreme context strategizing." Across diverse organizational types and boundaries, extreme contexts are increasingly frequent and have the potential to disrupt and devastate organizational life. When a context shifts from a relatively stable environment to an extreme one, strategizing becomes embedded within an evolving, uncertain, and hazardous environment. This study investigates the complexities of strategizing in such an extreme context. Employing a case study design, this research contributes to the growing body of Extreme Context Research (ECR) in the field of management and organization studies (MOS) by theorizing how organizations respond to and operate within an extreme context. Specifically, four archival case studies from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) –an organization renowned for its work in extreme context–, are examined. These archival case studies include the 1994 Rwandan genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus, the violence of the new Rwandan regime in 1994 and 1995, the Rwandan refugee camps in Zaire and Tanzania from 1994 to 1996 and the hunting and killing of Rwandan refugees in Zaire-Congo in 1996 and 1997. The process of strategizing in an extreme context is unveiled through the lived experiences of organizational members, as documented in archival data from reports commissioned by the organization. Through the analysis of these reports, I uncover the nuanced interplay between individual and organizational levels, exposing the intricate connections between these levels within an extreme context. This study deepens scholarly understanding by elucidating the impact of the three temporal dimensions – past, present, and future – on organizational sensemaking, ethical decision-making, and learning practices, which collectively shape strategizing in an extreme context. It advances theory by developing a dynamic, multi-level model of extreme context strategizing. This model is further illustrated through vignettes constructed from rich and unique secondary data sources, offering a detailed account of how strategizing in an extreme context evolves over time. The vignettes emphasize the constellation of practices that emerge in response to the challenges posed by such an extreme environment. In addition, this study contributes to research methodology in demonstrating how archival data can reveal critical organizational processes, particularly strategizing in an extreme context. By analyzing archival reports, it uncovers the interplay between field experiences and strategic decision-making at headquarters, showing how prescribed procedures often diverge from actual execution in extreme environments while preserving insights free from memory distortion over time. Furthermore, archival resources, are invaluable for research, particularly in extreme contexts where trauma makes data collection through interviews or observations difficult. These records provide non-intrusive access to natural evidence over time, reducing the risk of re-traumatization for participants and researchers, while offering flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and a transparent audit trail, making them valuable to study phenomena in extreme contexts. On a practical level, this study demonstrates that timely comprehension of the extreme context, responses to moral dilemmas, and learning both in and from these contexts foster reflection and reflexivity. Engaging in reflexive practices is critical in addressing two central questions situated in the extreme context: Who are we?” and “What are we doing?”. These insights offer a potential pathway for understanding the complex, fluid, and emergent process of strategizing in an extreme context as an ongoing redefinition of organizational identity and strategic action.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Stierand, Marc
- Dörfler, Viktor
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relations
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PDF of thesis T17261 | 2025-03-12 | Public | Download |