This study analyzes the discourse during a meeting of three diverse
organizations as they attempt to resolve conflicting organizational inter
ests. The three diverse groups were a waste disposal business, a grass-
roots community organization, and a state regulatory agency. Discourse
analysis of a meeting among these three organizations supported nego
tiated order theory, which suggests organizations with different cultures
find it difficult to achieve a negotiated order because they will at times
fail to share the symbolic meaning of the common terms they use.
Implications for practice and future research are offered.
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