Rituals and narratives in the organization of experience: a look at organizations in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The theme of this article involves organizational rituals. The aim is to understand how organizations sought to use rituals and narratives to organize the social experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective is to identify which practices were adopted to maintain social cohesion in the face of the challenges imposed. The method includes a theoretical review based on concepts of rituals, narratives, and organizations by classical and contemporary authors, as well as sources from media outlets to highlight milestones of the pandemic. Finally, documents from the companies Itaú, Ambev, and Magazine Luiza were analyzed to identify their ritual initiatives adopted during the period. The considerations point to the creation and also the adaptation of organizational rites during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as leadership decision-making committees, specific lines of internal and external communication, as well as lectures and discussion groups on mental health.