Testing relevance and applicability: reflections on organizational anthropology

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Marie Vad Karsten
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Anthropological Fieldwork ◽  
Organizational Anthropology ◽  
Key Aspects

Purpose Starting from the challenges and implications of doing organizational ethnography within the organization which the researcher is also employed by, the purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the idea of “passing the test” in relation to such ethnographic endeavor. The paper discusses how “collaboration” on projects and in product development processes with colleagues/informants is a precondition for passing “tests,” which unfolded as subtle, verbalized demands made by colleagues/informants during fieldwork. Design/methodology/approach Longitudinal anthropological fieldwork was carried out as part of an industrial PhD project, which investigates digitization as organizational, professional and social practices in the Danish construction industry. The fieldwork lasted on/off from April 2017 to December 2018. Various forms of participant observation and collaborative ethnographic methods were used during fieldwork. Findings The paper investigates how these “tests” focused on two key aspects: the relevance of anthropology in a profit-oriented, technical corporate organization; and the application of anthropological theories and ethnographic methodologies for the benefit of product development, usability studies and organizational change. It is argued that the tests were passed through collaborative engagements, where the author oscillated between positions as collegial insider and outside researcher for the dual benefit of both commercial interests and research interests. Originality/value The paper suggests that daring to collaborate and co-create products (as something different than texts) during organizational fieldwork for the benefit of both corporate and ethnographic interests offers strong possibilities for keeping ethnography relevant and applicable, passing tests in organizational settings and advancing ethnography’s impact in the world.

Responding to organizational identity change: ethnographic insights from multinational hotel subsidiaries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Sun-Ah Ponting
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Organizational Memory ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
History Of

Purpose This paper aims to use an organizational ethnography perspective to explore how subsidiary hotel properties of a multinational hotel corporation experience planned organizational identity (OI) change instituted by headquarters. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multi-site approach to collect ethnographic data on organizational change from six hotel subsidiaries in California, USA. Over three years, multiple sources of data were collected including: 31 interviews with hotel subsidiary leaders; more than 100 participant observation hours including job shadows, conferences and meetings; and photographs and internal communication materials. Findings Multinational hospitality companies face struggles between corporate standardization and subsidiary localization. This paper reveals that when headquarters plan changes focused on employees at their subsidiaries, the ways the latter initially accept and resist change are significantly impacted by the organizational memory and history of subsidiary leaders. However, as time progressed, properties with strong financial performance continued to operationalize new identity initiatives while properties with poorer profit margins played a balancing act between headquarters’ visionary identity and subsidiary ownership’s revenue expectations. Additionally, the situational realities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to all properties which amplified practical and emotional challenges of organizational ethnography in hospitality research. Originality/value This paper contributes to hospitality literature by introducing an under-researched concept, OI change and advances understanding of the struggles in managing multinational company change. More importantly, this paper is a stepping stone for future hospitality management to embark on organizational ethnography.

scholarly journals Disruptive product development for online fast fashion retailers

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-532
Author(s):  
Rachel Parker-Strak ◽  
Liz Barnes ◽  
Rachel Studd ◽  
Stephen Doyle
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
Fast Fashion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Retailers ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThis research critically investigates product development in the context of fast fashion online retailers who are developing “own label” fashion clothing. With a focus upon inputs, outputs, planning and management in order to comprehensively map the interplay of people, processes and the procedures of the product development process adopted.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research method was employed. Face-to-face semi structured in depth interviews were conducted with key informants from market leading fast fashion online retailers in the UK.FindingsThe major findings of this research demonstrate the disruptions in the product development process in contemporary and challenging fashion retailing and a new “circular process” model more appropriate and specific to online fast fashion businesses is presented.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has implications for the emerging body of theory relating to fashion product development. The research is limited to UK online fashion retailers, although their operations are global.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study may be useful for apparel product development for retailers considering an online and fast fashion business model.Originality/valueThe emergent process model in this study may be used as a baseline for further studies to compare product development processes.

Peer coaching in a school in Cairo, Egypt

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Sider
Keyword(s):  
Peer Coaching ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Global South ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Key Aspects

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how peer coaching was introduced in one school in Egypt and to identify barriers and opportunities for successful implementation. Design/methodology/approach The methodology included semi-structured interviews with eight teachers, participant observation of their classes and meetings, and three focus group meetings with teachers and school administrators. Findings Ladyshewsky’s (2017) five key aspects of peer coaching are considered in the findings: establishing peer partners, building trust between the partners, identifying specific areas to target for learning, training on non-evaluative questions and feedback, and supporting each other as new ideas are attempted. Each aspect of these is reviewed in light of the implementation process in the school. Practical implications The study provides practical suggestions for teachers and school administrators that include considerations for implementation. Numerous connections are made to research on peer coaching that is relevant to the implementation of peer coaching in schools in Egypt and other countries in the Global South. Originality/value The study provides an examination of the implementation of peer coaching in a school in Egypt. Thus, it contributes to the limited literature on peer coaching in the Global South. The discussion and conclusion sections consider further questions and research opportunities for effective practices in peer coaching in international contexts.

New product development-processes in the fashion industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rora Puspita Sari ◽  
Nabila Asad
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
New Product ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Product Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Processes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is, first, to examine the design requirements of Islamic fashion in the new product-development process; second, to explore the different practices of new product-development activities from successful and unsuccessful new product lines; and third, to investigate the sequence of the new product-development practice in the fashion industry, specifically the Islamic fashion industry in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaires were distributed and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect information regarding the practice of the new product-development activities. The Mann–Whitney U test was performed based on the quality of the new product-development activities of 100 Islamic fashion firms, including five innovative companies that had won several awards in Indonesia. An analysis of the extent to which fashion firms were engaging in new product-development activities provided a more detailed picture of the sequence of those activities. Findings Islamic norms were adapted during the early design and promotional phases of new product development in Islamic fashion. Various choices of design and colour in Islamic fashion were also perceived as a way of preaching to women to dress more accordingly to the Islamic norm. The new product-development activities that were conducted differently for successful vs unsuccessful new product lines were idea conceptualisation, market analysis, technical and engineering analysis, financial analysis and commercialisation. The commercialisation phase was given the least priority of all the activities. Nevertheless, it contributed to the very first communication to the customers about new product lines. Originality/value This study makes an important contribution to the deeper and more detailed research on how Islamic fashion companies perceive Islamic values during new product developments and how they perform new product-development activities between successful and unsuccessful products.

scholarly journals Knowledge integration with customers in collaborative product development projects

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 889-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad H. Eslami ◽  
Nicolette Lakemond
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Collaborative Product Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Knowledge Contribution ◽  
Product Development Processes

Purpose This paper aims to address the need for managerial and organizational approaches to knowledge integration with customers in collaborative product development projects. The purpose is to identify the roles of customers in terms of the customer’s knowledge contribution and timing of customer collaboration in the product development process. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a multi-case study approach, comprising four product development projects from two large international suppliers. The cases were selected following the theoretical replication logic. Data consist of interviews, workshops and secondary information. For each of the cases, a within-case analysis was performed followed by a cross-case analysis. Findings The study shows that the customer’s knowledge contribution is aligned with the specific requirements of each phase of the product development. Three specific customer roles are identified and connected to the customer’s knowledge contribution and the timing of customer collaboration. The technical capability of the customer and the locus of initiative of the product development project are affecting the prerequisites for knowledge integration with customers. Research limitations/implications The study is performed from the perspective of supplier firms. The authors have not been able to capture the perspective of the customer in detail. As it is expected that both customers and suppliers benefit from a systematic knowledge exchange, future studies could examine knowledge contributions in both directions. Practical implications The findings can be used to devise effective approaches for collaborative product development with customers related to the customer’s knowledge contribution and the timing of customer collaboration and provide guidance to firms seeking to benefit from knowledge residing at customers. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to focus on the integration of customers’ knowledge in product development processes. This paper contributes to the customer–supplier collaboration literature by presenting further insight into customers’ knowledge contributions, the timing of customer collaboration in product development processes and the prerequisites for knowledge integration with customers.

A conceptualization of suppliers’ and buyers’ abilities in product development

IMP Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Bjerhammar ◽  
Jörgen Elbe
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Relationship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Retail Chains ◽  
Product Development Processes

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of specified buyer and supplier abilities which may be apparent in processes when firms wish to develop products where other features than function are important.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through personal interviews with managers at eight major Swedish retail chains. The framework has been developed from an analysis of the data. Three of the cases are presented to illustrate how the framework may be applied.FindingsThe framework contains the concepts specification ability and description ability, which define and specify the demand abilities of the buyer, and the concepts translation ability, interpretation ability and implementation ability, which define and specify the problem-solving abilities of the supplier.Originality/valueThe framework presented here contributes to the business relationship and network literature on product development processes by highlighting and conceptualizing the process between buying firms who have different abilities or even inabilities to specify and explain desired product qualities, and the suppliers who should interpret the demands of these buyers.

How does the employee cross-training lean tool affect the knowledge transfer in product development processes?

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Stanica ◽  
Jorge Peydro
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Transfer Processes ◽  
Cross Training ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Product Development Processes

Purpose This paper aims to study the challenge of transferring knowledge among product development processes of an research and development department and other departments of the organization. To have a more concise focus on this broad field and having a lean perspective, this paper aims to analyse and identify how the cross-training employee lean tool affects the knowledge transfer processes in the previously mentioned departments. Design/methodology/approach This paper bases its research on a valid theoretical framework which is built to develop an explorative perspective that allows the authors to create and interpret the data collected from the companies through interviews. The paper uses a qualitative perspective by using the expertise of the companies not only to validate and draw conclusions from the studied theoretical framework but also to look beyond it. Findings The companies agree that the implementation of the cross-training employee lean tool will have a positive effect on the knowledge transfer processes in the organizations. Other important advantages that are detected are that this lean tool broadens the knowledge and the competences of employees, and that it helps the company to manage the tacit knowledge. However, some unexpected drawbacks such as the lack of metrics for measuring the knowledge transfer and the strictness of this lean tool were also found. Originality/value No previous research exists that analyses the effect of cross-training lean tool in knowledge transfer processes. This paper identifies such a gap in the literature and is used as the starting point to motivate the use of this tool to improve knowledge transfer processes due to the positive effects of it.

scholarly journals Lean product development and agile project management in the construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Albuquerque ◽  
Alvair Silveira Torres ◽  
Fernando Tobal Berssaneti
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Potential Application ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lean Product Development ◽  
Agile Project Management ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
New Methodologies

Purpose In recent years, innovative methodologies of product development such as lean product development (LPD) and agile project management (APM) have emerged. Even though previous research studies focused on these subjects, only few of them were focused on traditional industries, as civil construction. The purpose of this paper is to cover a part of this gap by estimating the potential of the application of these two new approaches (LPD and APM) in the construction industry, more specifically on the design stage. Design/methodology/approach For this, a case study has been conducted in order to understand if some of LPD and APM tools and practices had already been used, and also to evaluate the potential application of these new methodologies. Three Brazilian companies have been evaluated, all of them were exclusive executors of the design stage and presented distinct characteristics (size, structure, business model, etc.). Findings The results show that there is currently little adherence to LPD and APM practices within the companies studied. In terms of potential application of these new methodologies, the study has identified evidence regarding technical similarities between the reported cases and others mentioned in literature. However, the interviewees’ reception of these concepts was mostly pessimistic, showing considerable resistance to changes in the current process. Originality/value According to the analysis, the study identified that the main challenge/hampering to the implementation of these tools in the cases studied herein are the functional organizational structures, the customer–supplier relationships and the internal cultural resistance to change.

scholarly journals Applying empathy-driven participatory research methods to higher education new degree development

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Bosman ◽  
Abrar Hammoud ◽  
Sandhya Arumugam
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
New Product ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Product Development Processes

Purpose Innovation and entrepreneurship are economic drivers promoting competition and growth among organizations throughout the world, many of which would not exist without well-established new product development processes coupled with intentional and strategic focus on research and development. New product development processes, such as the lean start-up methodology and design thinking, are well-known and thriving as a result of empirically grounded research efforts. Unfortunately, educational institutions and educational researchers, alike, are lagging when it comes to new program/degree development processes. Although the quantity of new degree offerings has increased substantially over the past several decades (in particular for multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary programs), limited research has been conducted to document key procedures associated with the creation of new degree programs. The purpose of this study is to show one approach to how students can be involved within the new program development process. Design/methodology/approach This approach uses participatory research, wherein students act as researchers and actively participate in the data collection and analysis process. Under the umbrella of participatory research, the study uses photovoice, photoelicitation and focus groups for collecting qualitative data. Findings Results suggest that students in one transdisciplinary studies in technology program value the following key attributes: learning style (agency and choice, active hands-on learning and real-world applications) and learning context (technology and design-focused assignments, integration of humanities and self-selected disciplines of interest). Originality/value Recommendations are provided for various higher education benefactors of the user-generated data, including administration, faculty, marketing, recruitment, advisors and the students themselves.

Complexity and control: benchmarking of automobiles and electronic products

2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 502-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Fujimoto ◽  
Young Won Park
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Structural Design ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
Coordination Problem ◽  
Electronic Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mechanical Products ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Software Engineers ◽  
Product Development Processes

PurposeThe purpose of this exploratory paper is to analyze how complexity of an artifact affects designing processes of its mechanical, electric, and software sub‐systems.Design/methodology/approachBased on existing empirical research and frameworks of axiomatic design, product architecture, and product development process, the paper proposes a simple model of functional and structural design to examine how engineers' ways of thinking differ among mechanical, electric and software engineers.FindingsThis paper argues that products and artifacts tend to become complex (often with integral architecture) when customers' functional requirements become more demanding and societal/technological constraints become stricter, and that complex mechanical products are often accompanied by electronic control units with complex functions. This implies that designing complex mechanical products often requires intensive coordination among mechanical, electric and software engineers. This, however, is not easy, as engineers' way of thinking is often different among the three areas: mechanical engineers want to complete structural design information first to build prototypes; electrical and software engineers (the latter in particular) request complete functional information first.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to solve the above‐mentioned mechanical‐electrical‐software coordination problem, engineers need to share basic design concept of the product in question. Heavy‐weight product managers who infuse the product concept to the project members might be the key to this coordination. Companies may need to make sure that their product development processes are friendly to all of the three groups of engineers.Originality/valueAlthough designing complex artifacts has been a popular research theme since H. Simon's seminal work, issues of organizational coordination for developing complex products, with increasing managerial importance, need further research. With an empirical case of the automobile and electronic products, the present paper is unique in that it combines frameworks of product development processes, product architectures, and organizational capabilities.

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