In 2020 the third-oldest racing team in Formula 1, Williams Racing, sold to Dorilton Capital, a global investment group. The change was a dramatic shift in the organization’s identity, from four decades of family ownership to a faceless global fund with no ties to racing. Drastic turns such as these are challenging for organizations. Shifts in identity generate uncertainty with stakeholders, a particular problem for sports organizations where identities and values are prominent. One remedy is epideictic rhetoric, a form that utilizes common values to create identification and orient stakeholders’ interpretations of the change. However, an emphasis on values can invite unwelcome scrutiny that could exacerbate problems. The Williams/Dorilton case demonstrates how organizations can rely on blandness through epideictic rhetoric that mitigates negative aspects through an emphasis on featureless continuity.

中文翻译：

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Williams Racing 和 Dorilton Capital：组织变革中的流行病性平淡无奇


2020 年，一级方程式中历史第三悠久的赛车队威廉姆斯车队出售给全球投资集团 Dorilton Capital。这一变化是该组织身份的巨大转变，从四十年的家族所有权转变为一个与赛车无关的不露面的全球基金。诸如此类的剧烈转变对组织来说是一项挑战。身份的转变会给利益相关者带来不确定性，这对于身份和价值观突出的体育组织来说是一个特别的问题。一种补救措施是流行病修辞，这是一种利用共同价值观来创造身份并引导利益相关者对变化的解释的形式。然而，强调价值观可能会招致不受欢迎的审查，这可能会加剧问题。Williams/Dorilton 案例表明，组织如何通过流行病修辞来依赖平淡无奇，通过强调无特征的连续性来减轻消极方面。