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The purpose of this paper is to specify the factors which set the boundary between improvised change and improvised stability.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper draws on two published studies and contrasts their findings to analyze the extent to which improvisation leads to organizational change or organizational stability.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper suggests that the most innovative instances of improvisation reproduce some features of everyday experience. The extent to which an improvisation is a source of stability or a source of change depends on the dynamics of variation, selection and retention therein.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Future research needs to add empirical flesh to this theoretical skeleton to push research on organizational improvisation beyond the study of its causes and into further research on its consequences.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper deals with the paradox of making sense about two apparently opposing streams of research on improvisation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/1536-541011066452","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,11,15]],"date-time":"2014-11-15T23:07:49Z","timestamp":1416092869000},"page":"81-100","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Organizational improvisation: change or stability?"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Vieira da Cunha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Miguel","family":"Pina e Cunha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2021010619484596600_b1","unstructured":"Anteby, M. 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