The ‘Damore Memo’: what is the value of antenarrative in organizational communication?

ABSTRACT

In 2017, (former) Google employee James Damore shared with colleagues a 10-page memo which ruminated over and rearticulated normative assumptions about gender equity in the technology sector. The memo contested Google’s pro-diversity narrative with ‘fragmented speculations’ – or antenarratives – about alternative organizational futures (Boje, Haley, and Saylors 2016, 391). The memo was subsequently leaked to an online news site and a ‘new media event’ formed from the reflexive circulation of discourse of the ensuing controversy Fu (2018). We analyse this corpus of texts in terms of ‘antestories’ being told about Google and we consider how these storytelling episodes align with or challenge the company’s preferred pro-diversity future. We consider the material-discursive conditions which influenced the storytelling episodes and the stories which were ultimately heard (Jorgensen, Strand, and Boje 2013). We argue that ‘Damoregate’ serves as a cautionary tale for organizational communication, particularly the implications of alternative progress narratives in employee ‘antestories’ and the limitations of relying on organizational (ante)narratives in a digital era.

KEYWORDS:

• Antenarrative
• new media event
• commentary
• diversity
• tech industry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sonya Sandham

Sonya Sandham is a communication strategist who works with corporations and government agencies. She specializes in voice, engagement and strategic storytelling. Sonya is undertaking doctoral research in the News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra to explore the polyvocal context of organisational storytelling and the value from an organizational communication perspective. Her research interests include antenarrative, commentary and belonging in the digital era. Sonya started her career as a journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald.

Glen Fuller

Glen Fuller is the Head of School, School of Arts and Communication, Faculty of Art and Design, and member of the News and Media Research Centre, University of Canberra. His research investigates intersections of gender, media and enthusiasm, with a particular interest in technology and technical communication. He has active research projects on media and active transport. He used to work in magazine publishing.