Why do defensive routines persist in organizational contexts? Results from a two‐year ethnographic action research

Abstract Literature offers valuable insight into defensive routines, which are acknowledged by academics as barriers to organizational learning and innovation. Nevertheless, we find that there is a lack of attention in examining why defensive routines are persistent in organizational life. To fill this gap, we conduct a two‐year ethnographic action research in an Italian company. Based on an in‐depth analysis of the fundamental concepts of defensive routines and on data collected mainly by direct observations, interviews, and workshops, we propose a categorization with three types of defensive routines: blaming external forces, evading [authentic] dialogue, and avoiding confrontation. Drawing on an evolutionary perspective, we provide a framework that illustrates the mechanisms that explain the emergence and persistence of defensive routines and propose feasible ideas for interrupting the emotion‐deliberation interaction dynamics that reinforce such routines. We intend to offer a pragmatic framework to better address defensive routines, as they perpetuate the status quo and block individuals' ability to generate double‐loop learning, which is the type of learning that enables organizations to be innovative.