scholarly journals Fieldworking the relational complexity of organizations

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-439
Author(s):  
Wafa Said Mosleh ◽  
Henry Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Norbert Elias ◽  
The Social ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology ◽  
Relational Complexity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present researcher's reflexive writing about emergent events in research collaborations as a way of responding to the process-figurational sociology of Norbert Elias in the practice of organizational ethnography.Design/methodology/approachDrawing parallels between Norbert Elias' figurative account of social life and auto-ethnographic methodology, this paper re-articulates the entanglement of social researchers in organizational ethnographic work. Auto-ethnographic narration is explored as means to inquire from within the emerging relational complexity constituted by organizational dynamics. Writing about emergent events in the research process becomes a way of inquiring into the social figurations between the involved stakeholders; thus nurturing sense-making and increasing the awareness and sensitivity of the researcher to her own entanglement with the relational complexity of the organization under study.FindingsIn the paper, we argue that the writing of auto-ethnographic narratives of emergent field encounters is a process of inquiry that continuously depicts the temporal development of the relational complexity in organizations. Viewing that from the perspective of Elias' concept of figuration, we find a common commitment to the processual nature of research processes, which insists on moving beyond objectifying empirical insights.Originality/valueThis paper encourages awareness of the interdependency between ourselves as social researchers and field actors as we engage with the field. It moves beyond simplifying the ethnographic research agenda to that of “studying” and “describing” organizations. It offers unique insights into the organizational context, and increased sensitivity toward the social entanglement of the experiences that we, ourselves, as researchers are part of.

The role of public libraries in the development of social capital in local communities – a theoretical study

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-196
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSocial capital, understood as intangible community values available through a network of connections, is a factor in the development of societies and improving quality of life. It helps to remove economic inequalities and prevent poverty and social exclusion, stimulate social and regional development, civic attitudes and social engagement and build a civic society as well as local and regional identity. Many of these tasks may be implemented by libraries, which, apart from providing access to information, may also offer a number of services associated with social needs. The purpose of this paper is to present the roles and functions that libraries may serve in local communities in terms of assistance, integration and development based on classical social capital theories.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the classical concepts of social capital in the context of libraries. It analyses the findings of Pierre-Félix Bourdieu, James Coleman, Francis Fukuyama, Robert Putnam, Nan Lin, Ronald Stuart Burt, Wayne Baker and Alejandro Portes. Based on their respective concepts, the paper analyses the role of the contemporary library in the social life of local communities. In particular, it focuses on the possible new functions that public libraries may serve.FindingsA critical review of the concept of social capital revealed certain dependencies between libraries and their neighbourhoods. With new services that respond to the actual social needs, libraries may serve as a keystone, namely they may integrate, animate and engage local communities. This, however, requires a certain approach to be adopted by the personnel and governing authorities as well as infrastructure and tangible resources.Originality/valueThe social engagement of libraries is usually described from the practical perspective (reports on the services provided) or in the context of research on the impact of respective projects on specific groups of users (research reports). A broader approach, based on original social theories, is rarely encountered. The paper draws on classical concepts of social capital and is a contribution to the discussion on possible uses of those concepts based on an analysis of the role of libraries in social life and in strengthening the social capital of local communities.

Social value analysis: the case of Pompeu Fabra University

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Ayuso ◽  
Pablo Sánchez ◽  
José Luis Retolaza ◽  
Mònica Figueras-Maz
Keyword(s):  
Market Value ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Value Analysis ◽  
Social Accounting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Accounting Model ◽  
The University

Purpose This paper aims to explore how to quantify the social value generated by higher education from a social accounting perspective. The proposed approach is integrated social value (ISV) analysis, a social accounting model that considers both the economic value and the social value created by an organisation for its stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach The ISV analysis has been applied to Pompeu Fabra University, following a participatory action research process with representatives of the university and its stakeholders. Findings The final ISV includes not only the social value created through the university’s economic activity – captured by economic and financial accounting indicators – but also the specific social value created for the different stakeholders by means of non-market relationships, which were monetised through the use of indicators and financial proxies. Research limitations/implications Like other social accounting methodologies, ISV analysis suffers from some limitations regarding data availability and economic pricing, that partly will be resolved with maturation of the methodology and increasing standardisation. Practical implications By using appropriate proxies, the non-market value of the university can be monetised and integrated with university’s market value. The social value results become a valuable tool for developing useful indicators for internal management and external communication. Social implications The process of measuring the social value created by universities provides a way to meet the rising demands for greater accountability and transparency and facilitates engagement with stakeholders on how these institutions are contributing to a sustainable society. Originality/value ISV is a recently proposed social accounting model that combines an organisation’s economic and social results into a single concept of value creation and thus contributes to advance the field of social accounting.

scholarly journals Unpacking the problem of research access(es)

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mira Karjalainen ◽  
Charlotta Niemistö ◽  
Jeff Hearn
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Access To The Field ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to unpack the question of research access(es), especially ethnographic access, seen as an intrinsic part of research projects that should be scrutinized carefully to gain a deeper understanding of the field. Two main questions are asked: what does the process of accessing knowledge-intensive businesses (KIBs), specifically large international consultancies (LICs), tell us about access more generally? And what does accessing KIBs, specifically LICs, tell us about these organizations more generally? Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds on discussions of research access issues in organizational ethnography, in part when setting out to employ shadowing as a method of inquiry. It focuses on the challenges of gaining access to KIBs, where confidentiality is central to the work. The empirical focus is a study of LICs from where the data for this paper is drawn. Findings – To answer the two questions, the paper provides an analysis of: accesses in the plural; ongoing processes of accessing; multiple levels of access and contradictory negotiations; research accesses, including access difficulties, as constitutive of research itself; and research accesses as dependent on and giving data on the organizations in question. Building on literatures on ethnographic access and empirical data gained while negotiating access to LICs, this paper contributes to prior research on access, focusing on LICs as an arena for organizational ethnography, whose particular character has to be taken into account when conducting research. Originality/value – This paper examines the processes of accessing, a neglected but important part of research: the phase(s) of negotiating and gaining access to the field, and the need to fully absorb these phases into the research process as a whole. Access as such multi-level ongoing processes is often neglected, however, in both academic writing and importantly in doctoral education curricula. Therefore, the paper offers guidelines for use in research training.

scholarly journals Figuracja disco polo: ilustracja muzyczna polskiej transformacji

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 74-96
Author(s):  
Marcin Choczyński
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Sociological Analysis ◽  
Norbert Elias ◽  
The Social ◽  
Musical Arrangement

This article attempts a sociological analysis of a specific musical trend – disco polo – through the prism of the figuration theory proposed by Norbert Elias. Street music of the 1990s was an extremely accurate musical illustration of the period of systemic transformations in Poland, because disco polo’s characteristic elements (e.g., kitsch, impermanence, and banality, as well as optimism, a sense of community, and freshness) were combined with social feelings and attitudes toward the rapidly changing reality. Disco polo documented the social life of the time, as is visible in its symbolic layer as well as in its purely musical arrangement: it was the hallmark of a generation.

Ten lessons for qualitative transformative service researchers

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Nations Azzari ◽  
Stacey Menzel Baker
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Ecosystems ◽  
Creating Meaning ◽  
Research And Design

Purpose This paper offers key methodological insights for scholars new to qualitative transformative service research (TSR). Design/methodology/approach The paper offers ten lessons on conducting qualitative TSR that the authors have gleaned, across more than 30 years (combined) of qualitative inquiries and engagement with other scholars conducting and publishing what may be now termed TSR. Findings The key lessons of conducting qualitative TSR work include: displaying ethics in conducting and presenting qualitative TSR; preparing for and understanding the research context; considering design, mechanics and technical elements; being participant-centric; co-creating meaning with participants; seeking/using diverse types of data; analyzing data in an iterative fashion, including/respecting multiple perspectives; presenting evidence in innovative ways; and looking inward at every stage of the research process. Social implications The paper provides implications for addressing the vulnerability of both research participants and researchers with the aim of improving research methods that lead to improved service research and well-being outcomes. Originality/value Clearly, the complexity and importance of the social problems TSR scholars investigate – poverty, war, disaster recovery, inadequate healthcare – requires preparation for how to engage in transformative service research. Importantly, the paper fits with recent persistent calls within the broader literature of services marketing to: use service research and design to create “uplifting changes” within society and broaden the paradigmatic underpinnings of service research to include dynamic, process-oriented approaches, which capture the dynamic and relational aspects of service ecosystems.

A light burden: cultural discourse of light in Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-134
Author(s):  
Lok Hang Hui
Keyword(s):  
Social History ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Cultural Meanings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sensory Experiences ◽  
Local Case ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ethnographic Data ◽  
Post War

PurposeThis paper explores the sensory experiences and cultural meanings of light in Japan in relation to Japanese changing lighting practices. It demonstrates that these sensory experiences and cultural meanings form an integral part of social life in Japan.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a blended approach that combines historical research and ethnographic data in the research on the meanings of light. The findings are presented in three parts. Two of them describe the social history of light, and the third draws on ethnographic data collected in suburban Japan.FindingsThe findings suggest that light in Japan has maintained a close symbolic connection with certain positive values despite the changing lighting practices. For example, light is related to cleanliness in early historical records on candle-making. In post-war Japan, new light metaphors such as “bright family” were invented to accommodate new aspirations for modernity and progress. In the latest development, the moral dimension of light is emphasised. This is evident in the concerns on being seen as a “bright person”, a person with a cheerful personality. Light in this way is related to the sensory experience of feeling a “social weight”, the pressure for one to act according to social norms.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to our anthropological understandings of light. It also provides a local case study of Japan, supported by original ethnographic research conducted by the author.

The seven deadly sins and ethnography

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caio Coelho ◽  
Carlos Eduardo de Lima
Keyword(s):  
Research Process ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Seven Deadly Sins ◽  
Organization And Management ◽  
Single Piece ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
Ethnographic Data

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to conduct a general review of the ethnographic method. It uses metaphors to read several pieces of ethnographic research and discuss the different issues encountered during the research process. The review consisted of new articles but also important books that helped to construct and maintain the field of organizational ethnography.Design/methodology/approachThe paper aims to discuss the ethnography research process through the metaphor of the Christian Seven Sins. It proposes a reflection on planning and conducting ethnographic research. The seven sins are used as a metaphor that can lead to more reflexive research for educational and explanatory purposes. Ultimately, the authors encourage organizational scholars to conduct ethnographic research.FindingsThe metaphors of the Christian seven sins represent issues that may arise during an ethnographic research. Gluttony is the dive in all topics that may appear; Greed is to lose yourself in the amount of data; Lust is to get too much involved in the field; Wrath is to take the struggles of the subjects as your own; Envy is to judge other's research according to your paradigm; Sloth is to not collect enough ethnographic data and Pride is forgetting to have a critical perspective toward your data. The redemption of these “sins” brings reflexivity to ethnographic research.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper opts to treat ethnography as a methodology that can be utilized with different epistemological and ontological approaches which could diminish the degree of reflection. No metaphor would be able to explain all the details of an ethnographic research project, still the seven sins provided a wide range of ideas to be reflected upon when using the methodology.Practical implicationsAs a paper on ethnography, researchers and especially PhD students and early careers can get to know the issues that can arise during ethnographic research and put them in contact with good examples of ethnography in Organization and Management Studies.Originality/valueThis paper groups different complexities and discussions around ethnographic research that may entail research reflexivity. These ideas were scattered through various ethnographic publications. With the review their highlights can be read in a single piece. With these discussions, the paper aims to encourage researchers to conduct good quality ethnography.

Innovative tools and techniques to manage your stress to ensure work-life balance

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 320-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Rao
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computer Vision Syndrome ◽  
The Social ◽  
Tools And Techniques

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline various aspects of stress including its causes, effects and remedies to ensure work-life balance to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – The paper explains types of stress and differentiates between stress and burnout. It outlines innovative tools and techniques to manage stress. Findings – It enlightens that there are three symptoms to good health – sound sleep, exercise and good appetite. As long as you enjoy these you enjoy good health and you can keep stress at a bay and lead a happy and great life. Practical implications – The tools and techniques to ensure work-life balance can be applied in any industry and in any size of organization. Social implications – The social implications of this research suggests that leaders can provide meaning to their lives by balancing their personal, professional and social life. Originality/value – It elaborates stress management from the perspective of parallel careers with Peter Drucker’s example. It adds value to tackle computer vision syndrome.

The Structure of Creativity

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clayton Childress
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Research Process ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Artistic Creation ◽  
Her Family ◽  
Person Perspective ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Training

This chapter examines how Jarrettsville came to be, and how even its title was eventually derived, by tracing the social life of artistic creation within it. Between 1998 and 2004, Cornelia Nixon was working on a novel titled Martha's Version, the story of Jarrettsville based entirely from Martha Jane Cairnes's first-person perspective. Nixon was sixteen years old on a cross-country flight when her mother first told her the family story that would become her inspiration for writing Jarrettsville. The chapter first narrates the true events that Nixon fictionalized in Jarrettsville before discussing her education, writing style, and literary influences; her family and personal life as raw materials for the novel; and the research process for Jarrettsville. It also considers how the practice of writing is influenced by things such as background experiences and training, and the field of creation by social interactions. Finally, it explains how Jarrettsville came to be called Jarrettsville.

The dark side of bright traits: How context cues misdirect facets of conscientiousness

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Soyoung Jeong ◽  
M. Audrey Korsgaard ◽  
Daniel Morrell
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Context ◽  
Performance Standards ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Contextual Cues ◽  
Quality Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Normative Pressure ◽  
The Social ◽  
Context Cues ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe authors test the proposition that there are dark sides to conscientiousness that are revealed when examining lower-level facets. The authors propose that potentially dysfunctional behavior is triggered by context cues that are relevant to duty versus achievement striving.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted two laboratory experiments designed to test how context cues that are specific to duty and achievement striving influence the relationship between these facets and quality versus quantity dimensions of task performance.FindingsIn Study 1, the authors found that normative quality cues led to a stronger relationship between duty and discretionary quality performance. In Study 2, achievement striving was associated with lower levels of quality performance in the presence of competitive feedback cues.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings illustrate that the dark side of duty and achievement striving emerges in two ways. First, when there is normative pressure for quality, dutiful individuals are apt to sacrifice efficiency. Second, when there is competitive feedback, achievement striving individuals focus on performance standards at the detriment of quality.Practical implicationsThe findings point to the importance of precision and specificity when using personality measures for staffing. Equally important is the informational content of cues conveyed by the social, task and organizational context, in leveraging the impact of personality in the workplace.Originality/valueThis paper clarifies the dark side and bright side contradiction of conscientiousness, adding to the growing literature on unique and often competing consequences of duty and achievement striving. The authors also draw attention to the importance of the content of contextual cues, in trait activation of personality.

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