scholarly journals Enabling transdisciplinary research: Suggestions for avoiding `road-blocks' based on a case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Martin Coath ◽  
Ilona Mettiäinen ◽  
Roxana Contreras ◽  
Jusu Toivonen ◽  
John Moore
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Plain Language ◽  
Work Package ◽  
Diagrammatic Representation ◽  
Action Project ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Common Frame Of Reference ◽  
Common World

In this brief plain language report we introduce a novel diagrammatic way of thinking about interactions in transdisciplinary teams. This representation is designed to provoke debate about how teams which do not share a common world view can make progress, but not necessarily direct progress, towards common goals. We further identify a range of possible problems -- which we refer to as road-blocks -- which can limit progress and reduce the effectiveness of such projects. Finally we make short suggestions about how road-blocks might be lifted. The diagrammatic representation was developed as part of the plain language notes which were kept to document the progress of a work package -- part of the Blue-Action project -- dealing with Arctic Tourism. But the report draws on wider experience of transdisciplinary working in the team and attempts an easily readable summary of some aspects of how such projects do, and do not, work. We propose that interactions between members of a team that have little in common, with respect to experience and expertise, will rarely lead to outputs that meet the goals of the project unless supplementary activities first 'recast' their views towards a common frame of reference.

scholarly journals All for One, One for All! From Events to Organizational Dynamics in Fluid Organization

M n gement ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Anthony Hussenot
Keyword(s):  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
The Other ◽  
Organizational Dynamics ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Future Events ◽  
The One ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Common Frame Of Reference

This article examines the emergence of organizational dynamics in the context of fluid organizational phenomena. To do so, three organizational dynamics are studied: (1) identity, (2) actorhood, and (3) interconnected instances of decision-making. To study how these three organizational dynamics take shape in the context of fluid organizational phenomena, I rely on the events-based approach and a case study of makers operating in a makerspace in the Paris region. The results show, on the one hand, that the collective of makers enacts a structure of past, present, and future events that participates in the definition of a common frame of reference and, on the other hand, that this common frame of reference plays a role in the emergence of organizational dynamics. On the basis of this result, my main contribution is to show the role of the eventalization – that is, the definition, configuration and narration by the actors of past, present, and future events – in the definition of organizational dynamics in fluid organizational phenomena. This article contributes on the one hand to the literature on fluid organizational phenomena, and on the other hand to the literature on makers working in makerspaces.

Strategies Among Young Jehovah’s Witnesses in Compulsory School in Sweden, Age 13–15, a Case Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernilla Liedgren ◽  
Lars Andersson
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Value System ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
A Value ◽  
Standing Up ◽  
Primary School Age ◽  
Mainstream Culture

This study investigated how young teenagers, as members of a strong religious organization, dealt with the school situation and the encounter with mainstream culture taking place at school during the final years in Swedish primary school (age 13–15 years). The purpose was to explore possible strategies that members of a minority group, in this case the Jehovah’s Witnesses, developed in order to deal with a value system differing from that of the group. We interviewed eleven former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses about their final years in compulsory Swedish communal school. The ages of the interviewees ranged between 24 and 46 years, and the interviewed group comprised six men and five women. Nine of the eleven interviewees had grown up in the countryside or in villages. All but two were ethnic Swedes. The time that had passed since leaving the movement ranged from quite recently to 20 years ago. The results revealed three strategies; Standing up for Your Beliefs, Escaping, and Living in Two Worlds. The first two strategies are based on a One-World View, and the third strategy, Living in Two Worlds, implies a Two-World View, accepting to a certain extent both the Jehovah’s Witnesses outlook as well as that of ordinary society. The strategy Standing up for Your Beliefs can be described as straightforward, outspoken, and bold; the youngsters did not show any doubts about their belief. The second subgroup showed an unshakeable faith, but suffered psychological stress since their intentions to live according to their belief led to insecurity in terms of how to behave, and also left them quite isolated. These people reported more absence from school. The youngsters using the strategy Living in Two Worlds appeared to possess the ability to sympathize with both world views, and were more adaptable in different situations.

Case Study #4: Star Trek by Gene Roddenberry

Public Voices ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Ken Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Star Trek ◽  
Government Organization ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Third ◽  
Gene Roddenberry ◽  
Common Goals

Star Trek began as a 1960s television series led by a swashbuckling starship Captain, an intellectual off-world first officer, and a multicultural, heart-of-gold crew. In the third of a century since its appearance on our home screens, the series Gene Roddenberry created has become a world-wide phenomenon.Star Trek is also a rich treasure trove of administrative literature: The setting — usually a starship, sometimes a planetary government organization. The characters are clearly delineated, colorful, share common goals, distinguish between their personal and professional roles and concerns, and serve well as archetypes for distinct organizational personalities. And the missions are clear, benevolent, in the public interest, and frequently controversial.As you watch an episode of one of the four Star Trek series, how many of these facets can you observe?That’s public administration, all right, but in a very different wrapper

Secure e-Government Services

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Karokola ◽  
Louise Yngström ◽  
Stewart Kowalski
Keyword(s):  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Government Services ◽  
Security Services ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Security Standards ◽  
Common Frame Of Reference

E-Government offers many benefits to government agencies, citizens and the business community. However, e-Government services are prone to current and emerging security challenges posing potential threats to critical information assets. Securing it appears to be a major challenge facing governments globally. Based on the international security standards – the paper thoroughly investigates and analyzes eleven e-government maturity models (eGMMs) for security services. Further, it attempts to establish a common frame of reference for eGMM critical stages. The study utilizes the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) of scientific inquiry/ learning cycle adopted from Checkland and Scholes. The findings show that security services (technical and non-technical) are lacking in eGMMs – implying that eGMMs were designed to measure more quantity of offered e-government services than the quality of security services. Therefore, as a step towards achieving secure e-government services the paper proposes a common frame of reference for eGMM with five critical stages. These stages will later be extended to include the required security services.

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