Awards and prizes as control devices: The case of urban development project awards

Organization ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 135050842110612
Author(s):  
Alexander Styhre ◽  
Sara Brorström
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Sharp Growth ◽  
Control Devices

In the credential society, a sharp growth of the number of awards and prizes indicate an interest in assuming the authority to define quality, and to identify extraordinary accomplishments within certain jurisdictional domain. This ambition is associated not the least with ex ante awards, awards granted on basis of plans and documents that stipulate forthcoming material contributions, or other projected accomplishments. Drawing on actor network theory, the role of ex ante awards in the field of urban development is examined. Despite being epistemologically fragile entities, ex ante awards are organizationally significant as they operate as actants that provide a variety of benefits for equally award-winning agents and award-giving organizations, but also for the specific industry sector more generally. The article reports empirical data from two urban development projects in a major Swedish city, eventually receiving ex ante awards. Both projects were associated with desirable urban development qualities, boundary–spanning interests and objectives, and a recognition of shared social norms, and the awards given arguably served to strengthen the relationships between the actors included in the project work, at the same time as award-giving organizations advance their authority to define quality. The study contributes to the scholarly literature on awards by presenting an integrated analytical framework that shed light on the direct and indirect effects of formal awards. Awards and prizes are devices that enable control in credential societies, yet being undertheorized to date, and more research that examines how awards and prizes generate a variety of outcomes is welcome.

scholarly journals What makes human–animal relations ‘organizational’? The de-scription of anthrozootechnical agencements

Organization ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 761-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Doré ◽  
Jérôme Michalon
Keyword(s):  
Network Theory ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Organization Studies ◽  
Relational Properties ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Human Animal

Questions concerning animals’ role in society have received little attention from Organization Studies. This article develops and tests some theoretical and methodological propositions aimed at contributing to the elaboration of an analytical framework for interpreting our organized relations with animals and furthering our understanding of what makes human–animal relations ‘organizational’. First, examining the role of animals in the ‘non-human turn’ that has been emerging, especially with the Actor–Network Theory and the Symmetrical Anthropology project, it adresses the limits of the ‘non-human’ category to analyze situations of coordination of collective action involving animals. It then develops the concept of anthrozootechnical agencement to envisage the role of animals in the course of action through the lens of their relational properties and applies the notion of script to propose an operational formulation of the specifically organizational trials to which these particular agencements are subjected. Based on three case studies (the role of the leash in the organization of human–dog relations, the management of wolves’ return to France, and the production of milk on a dairy farm), this article shows that two main types of operation make human–animal relations ‘organizational’: first, the organization of anthrozootechnical relations is constituted by and constitutive of the combination of three types of specifically organizational test to which these particular agencements are subjected (the performance test, the coherence test, and the dimensioning test); second, the work of organizing anthrozootechnical relations then consists in elaborating, executing, and transforming heterogeneous scripts that are never strictly indexed on the nature (human, animal, technique) of the entities they concern.

Notes from Notes on Blindness: The challenges of the in-house1 film production model in independent cinema

Scene ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dusan Petkovic
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Independent Film ◽  
Independent Cinema ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Sales Pitch

This article, derived from a larger ethnographic research created around the production of the award-winning independent film Notes on Blindness (2016) and conducted by a researcher active as a film professional, explores the deeper consequences of choosing to pursue a production ‘in-house’. Through participant observation, Actor-Network Theory and negotiation between film practice and research, the researcher finds independent filmmakers caught between the opposing trends of high-end industry and the digital economies. The organization forms observed in this article stand opposite to the prevalent globalized creative labour trends motivated by the internet and new technologies, and can best be described as a revival of Richard Sennett’s craft workshop in the digital era. These are ultra-dense creative spaces where craftspersons nurture their creative impulses and shield them from the negative aspects of the technological and economic upheaval. In the hope that the findings will inform future filmmakers in the role of this specific type of organization in delivering the intended output, this article offers insights beyond the industry self-avowal and sales pitch.

Sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI) in the cultural village: an actor-network perspective in the case of Laweyan Batik Village

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Budi Harsanto ◽  
Chrisna T. Permana
Keyword(s):  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Business Sectors

PurposeThis study aims to explore the development of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI) in the cultural village. SOI has recently generated widespread interest, both academically and practically, by factoring in environmental and social impacts in addition to economic aspects. However, previous works have mostly been performed at profit organisations, with few discussed at the non-profit, and likewise, in the cultural village.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a qualitative approach by focusing on a unique case, Laweyan Batik Village in Surakarta, Indonesia. Founded in the 15th century, Laweyan Batik Village remains the oldest batik village in Indonesia. Batik is the traditional fabric of Indonesia, influenced by Arabian, Chinese and European patterns, that was recognised in 2009 by UNESCO as part of the World's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The actor-network theory (ANT) is used as an analytical framework to understand the process of SOI development through the role of actors in developing innovations.FindingsThe findings suggest that, it is not only in mainstream business sectors and formal settings, as already evidenced by existing literature, that SOI can be promoted, but also in community sectors and within informal settings. This paper has found that the development of sustainability innovation in these settings is challenged by the dynamics of the actors and the institutional settings. The overall development process of sustainability innovation has been undertaken through so-called “collaborative practices”, emphasising the involvement of government actors and non-government actors, highlighting community leaders, academics and NGOs as the “in-between” actors who provide knowledge sharing and maintain communications to ensure the promotion of the SOI concepts and programmes.Originality/valueThis research contributes in two main ways: first, an understanding of the process of sustainability innovation in a cultural village that has not been deeply explored by current literature; and second, the use of the actor network theory as an analytical framework from which to map the process of SOI collaborative development through networking dimensions.

scholarly journals The challenge of assessing social cohesion in health impact assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Romagon ◽  
Francoise Jabot
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Health Impact Assessment ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Negative Impacts

Summary Health impact assessment (HIA) is a method by which a policy, programme or project falling outside traditional health fields, may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population to mitigate negative impacts and strengthen the positive ones. Proposals are analysed from the perspective of all the determinants of health. In France, HIAs are mainly applied to urban development projects where social cohesion (SCo) is a major issue. Although the HIA method is well structured as a step-by-step process, there are no guidelines for assessing SCo. This article opens with literature review to clarify the concept of SCo and to understand how the built environment influences SCo and how social environment influence health. Drawing on this work, this paper presents an analytical framework to assess SCo, integrating both the spatial and physical dimensions of urban design and the perceptions of the neighbourhood characteristics. Following a brief overview of the key findings from applying this framework to HIA of an urban development project, the paper discusses its related strengths and weaknesses. The framework could be a useful tool for HIA as it embraces knowledge from both urban planning and social sciences. It also allows for an overall analysis of all the indicators without relying on a checklist. Nevertheless, it should be tested further to improve its validity.

Short Films from a Small Nation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Claire Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Public Information ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Documentary Films ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Short Films ◽  
Post War ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Art And Architecture

The first book-length study in English of a national corpus of state-sponsored informational film, this book traces how Danish shorts on topics including social welfare, industry, art and architecture were commissioned, funded, produced and reviewed from the inter-war period to the 1960s. For three decades, state-sponsored short filmmaking educated Danish citizens, promoted Denmark to the world, and shaped the careers of renowned directors like Carl Th. Dreyer. Examining the life cycle of a representative selection of films, and discussing their preservation and mediation in the digital age, this book presents a detailed case study of how informational cinema is shaped by, and indeed shapes, its cultural, political and technological contexts.The book combines close textual analysis of a broad range of films with detailed accounts of their commissioning, production, distribution and reception in Denmark and abroad, drawing on Actor-Network Theory to emphasise the role of a wide range of entities in these processes. It considers a broad range of genres and sub-genres, including industrial process films, public information films, art films, the city symphony, the essay film, and many more. It also maps international networks of informational and documentary films in the post-war period, and explores the role of informational film in Danish cultural and political history.

scholarly journals Going Beyond Panaceas: The Diversity of Land Observatory Forms in Africa

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Grislain ◽  
Jeremy Bourgoin ◽  
Ward Anseeuw ◽  
Perrine Burnod ◽  
Eva Hershaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Video Conferencing ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Informed Decision ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Information Production ◽  
Dynamic Data ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Ex Ante

In recent decades, mechanisms for observation and information production have proliferated in an attempt to meet the growing needs of stakeholders to access dynamic data for the purposes of informed decision-making. In the land sector, a growing number of land observatories are producing data and ensuring its transparency. We hypothesize that these structures are being developed in response to the need for information and knowledge, a need that is being driven by the scale and diversity of land issues. Based on the results of a study conducted on land observatories in Africa, this paper presents existing and past land observatories on the continent and proposes to assess their diversity through an analysis of core dimensions identified in the literature. The analytical framework was implemented through i) an analysis of existing literature on land observatories, ii) detailed assessments of land observatories based on semi-open interviews conducted via video conferencing, iii) fieldwork and visits to several observatories, and iv) participant observation through direct engagement and work at land observatories. We emphasize that the analytical framework presented here can be used as a tool by land observatories to undertake ex-post self-evaluations that take the observatory’s trajectory into account, or in the case of proposed new land observatories, to undertake ex-ante analyses and design the pathway towards the intended observatory.

How Artefacts Do Leadership: A Ventriloquial Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 089331892199807
Author(s):  
Jonathan Clifton ◽  
Fernando Fachin ◽  
François Cooren
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Communication ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Human Actors

To date there has been little work that uses fine-grained interactional analyses of the in situ doing of leadership to make visible the role of non-human as well as human actants in this process. Using transcripts of naturally-occurring interaction as data, this study seeks to show how leadership is co-achieved by artefacts as an in-situ accomplishment. To do this we situate this study within recent work on distributed leadership and argue that it is not only distributed across human actors, but also across networks that include both human and non-human actors. Taking a discursive approach to leadership, we draw on Actor Network Theory and adopt a ventriloquial approach to sociomateriality as inspired by the Montreal School of organizational communication. Findings indicate that artefacts “do” leadership when a hybrid presence is made relevant to the interaction and when this presence provides authoritative grounds for influencing others to achieve the group’s goals.

scholarly journals Adopt, adapt, or abandon technology-supported person-centred care initiatives: healthcare providers’ beliefs matter

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Dyb ◽  
Gro Rosvold Berntsen ◽  
Lisbeth Kvam
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Technology Support ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Term Care

Abstract Background Technology support and person-centred care are the new mantra for healthcare programmes in Western societies. While few argue with the overarching philosophy of person-centred care or the potential of information technologies, there is less agreement on how to make them a reality in everyday clinical practice. In this paper, we investigate how individual healthcare providers at four innovation arenas in Scandinavia experienced the implementation of technology-supported person-centred care for people with long-term care needs by using the new analytical framework nonadoption, abandonment, and challenges to the scale-up, spread, and sustainability (NASSS) of health and care technologies. We also discuss the usability and sensitivity of the NASSS framework for those seeking to plan, implement, and evaluate technology-supported healthcare programmes. This study is part of an interdisciplinary research and development project called Patients and Professionals in Partnership (2016–2020). It originates at one of ten work packages in this project. Method The main data consist of ethnographic field observations at the four innovation arenas and 29 interviews with involved healthcare providers. To ensure continuous updates and status on work in the four innovation arenas, we have also participated in a total of six annual network meetings arranged by the project. Results While the NASSS framework is very useful for identifying and communicating challenges with the adoption and spread of technology-supported person-centred care initiatives, we found it less sensitive towards capturing the dedication, enthusiasm, and passion for care transformation that we found among the healthcare providers in our study. When it comes to technology-supported person-centred care, the point of no return has passed for the involved healthcare providers. To them, it is already a definite part of the future of healthcare services. How to overcome barriers and obstacles is pragmatically approached. Conclusion Increased knowledge about healthcare providers and their visions as potential assets for care transformation might be critical for those seeking to plan, implement, and evaluate technology-supported healthcare programmes.

Gender budgeting in public financial management: a literature review and research agenda

2021 ◽  
pp. 002085232110317
Author(s):  
Tobias Polzer ◽  
Isabella M Nolte ◽  
Johann Seiwald
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Need To Evaluate ◽  
Gender Budgeting

Gender budgeting calls for including a gender perspective at all levels of governmental budgetary processes. While the literature on gender budgeting is interdisciplinary and covers a wide geographical range, it remains fragmented. This study uses a literature review to examine the current discourse on gender budgeting and to elicit avenues for future research. Our review shows that studies focus either on emerging economies, such as India or South Africa, or on countries in Europe. Drawing on an analytical framework, we find that most studies scrutinize the ex ante stages of gender budgeting, whereas less is known about the concurrent and ex post stages. Moreover, because little is known about the outcome and impact of gender budgeting, governments do not know what instruments function best in different settings. Given their ex ante focus, most studies on gender budgeting often either remain descriptive or analyse secondary data. Despite scholars from different disciplines contributing to the field of gender budgeting, several ‘blank spots’ remain, particularly in public sector accounting. Points for practitioners While current gender budgeting projects tend to focus on the ex ante stage of gender budgeting, future practitioner attention needs to focus on the equally important concurrent and ex post stages, which have received less attention thus far. An increasing number of governments worldwide are implementing gender budgeting projects. Governments need to evaluate the outcome and impact of these projects in a timely fashion, aiming at reducing structural inequalities related to gender. Gender budgeting is willingly adopted in times of prosperity and stability or when the scope of projects appears manageable. To avoid negative impacts on their achievements, policy makers need to put gender budgeting on the political agenda and institutionalize it in times of instability and crisis.

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