Organizational Ethnography: An Experiential and Practical Guide

Description

This textbook explores practices, first-hand experiences and emerging ideas within organizational ethnography, providing a toolkit that prepares ethnographers for the uncertainties and realities of fieldworking. Students faced with the complexities of qualitative observational techniques and considerations, such as the scope of the research, the personal and professional intertwined life of the qualitative research or the decision of when to leave the field, will find the book an extremely useful, practical guide. A range of experiences from a variety of academics at different stages of their career, to highlight the differences in practices, approaches, and encounters, are presented. The themes of the individual chapters cover three main areas: aspects to consider and reflect on before undertaking an ethnography; the process and experiences of conducting ethnographic work; and considerations for after the fieldwork. Particular attention is given to appreciating the complexity and practicalities of ethnographic work, providing a more experience-driven text, and understanding perspectives from a range of different approaches to organisational ethnography. This book should be a recommended text for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying research methods within Business and Management. It is particularly important for all students and academics undertaking qualitative research, particularly ethnography. Cover Endorsement Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Contributors 1 Outlining a Practical, Emotional and Reflexive Approach to Organizational Ethnography Defining Ethnography Discussion Points What Can I Do With this Advice in this Book? How Will It Help Me Prepare for an Ethnographic Project? What Part Does Reflexivity Have in an Ethnographic Project? What Part Does the Researcher Play? Should We Read and Write About the Emotions of Ethnographers? Is That Relevant? Is Ethnographic Research Inexplicably Linked With Ethical Dilemmas? How Can We Create Spaces to Discuss These Tensions? A Final Note References Part I Emotions, Ethnography, and Fieldwork 2 Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself! Are You Cut Out for Ethnographic Fieldwork? 2.1 Ethnographic Research: Easier Said Than Practically Done! 2.2 Deep Immersion: Under the Influence of Pioneering Engagements in Ethnography 2.2.1 A.k.a. “life-World-Analytical Ethnography” 2.2.2 A.k.a. “Criminological Verstehen” 2.2.3 A.k.a. “Ethnographic Gameness” 2.2.4 There Is No “Playing It Safe” in Any Ethnography 2.3 The Triangle Chokehold of Ethnography: Confessional Tales From Academia, the Field, and Private Life 2.3.1 The Scientist: Let’s Talk About … Academic Stigmatization! 2.3.2 The Fieldworker: Let’s Talk About … Academic (Self) Exploitation! 2.3.3 The Ethnographer as a Citizen: Let’s Talk About … Ethnography and Private Affairs! 2.4 A Plea for Ethnography as Disinterested Behaviour Notes References 3 Too Close for Comfort? The Challenges and Unexpected Consequences of Immersed Ethnography ‘In the Void’ 11 January 2015: Confined Space Search and Rescue Exercise Immersed Ethnography Immersed Ethnography in Practice Methodological Challenges Emotion Work Identity Struggles Going Native Immersed Ethnography in Practice – Some Reflections Conclusion Notes References 4 Removing the Rose-Tinted Glasses: Fear, Risk and being Uncomfortable in Ethnographic Fieldwork Why Might Ethnographic Studies Provoke Fear? Fear and Risk in Our Fieldwork Relationships Not Everyone Likes You: Fear of Rejection in the Field Fear and Risk Following Us Out of the Field So Why Talk About This? 1. Removing the Rose-Tinted Glasses for the Benefit of Novice Researchers 2. For Learning About Communities and Enhancing Our Analysis 3. For Rethinking Ethics and Risk in the Bureaucratic Process of Ethnography Conclusion References 5 Choosing to Reach Beyond Academic Goalposts: Ethnographer as Compassionate Advocate Inside an Immigration Detention Centre Advocacy, Activism and Scholarship The Research Context and Methods Reflections On Becoming an Advocate Grounded in Compassion Deliberate Choices: Potential Ways to Move Beyond Being an “Objective” Researcher Conclusion Notes References Part II Ethnography in the Field 6 Learning and Doing Autoethnography: Resonance, Vulnerability and Exposure Conducting Autoethnography Finding Autoethnography – Developing the Autoethnographic ‘Style’ Finding Your Autoethnographic ‘Voice’ Different Types of Autoethnography Autoethnography in Organization Studies Resonance Exposure Vulnerability Conclusion References 7 Rapid Ethnographies in Organizations: Ensuring Rich Data and Timely Findings Introduction Defining Rapid Ethnographies The Use of Rapid Ethnographies in Organizations Key Stages of Rapid Ethnographies Case Studies A Lone Researcher Rapid Ethnography in Hospitals in Argentina A Team-Based Rapid Ethnography in Hospitals in the UK Conclusion References 8 Deception as a Moral Project: Covert Research and the Construction of the Ethical Self A Reflexive Approach to Research Ethics Traditional Views On Covert Ethnography A Case for Covert Research Entering the Field: Covert Research, the Lesser of Two Evils Being Covert in the Field: Deception and Distance Disclosure, Identity Catharsis and Crafting the Ethical-Self Visibility Through Deception Conclusion Note References 9 Ethnography On Sensitive Topics: Children’s Sexuality Education in Spain SexAFIN in Context: Children’s Sexuality Education as a Sensitive Topic Accessing the Field Strategies to Accessing Children Through the School: Between Communicative Vigilance and Speakability The Bridge Between the Community and the Research Team SexAFIN in Action Working With Teachers: Implications and Participatory Methodologies Working With Children: Flexible Research Design and Data Collection Conclusion Notes References 10 Reflexivity in Audio-Visual Ethnography: Thinking Through Practice Observational Cinema and the Speaking Voice Subjective Reflexivity Lessons to Be Learned: How Can Reflexive Devices and Methodologies Contribute to Our Understanding of a Social Group Or Phenomenon? Notes References Part III Beyond the Field 11 Exiting the Field: When Does an Ethnography Finish? An Engaging Practice The Reasons Ending Fieldwork Time Frame Financial Support and Emotional Responsibility Disappearance of the Object of Study and Critical Situations Ending Rituals How Does an Ethnographic Study Finish? Exiting and Its Implications Exiting and Theorizing Identity Spaces Conclusion Note References 12 Jotting It Down: Writing and Analysing Fieldnotes Setting the Scene: A Short Note On My Experience Stage #1 – Jotting It Down The Challenge: What to Include When Jotting? Stage #2 Writing “Up” Jottings #3 Analysing Your Fieldnotes The Importance of Fieldnotes in Ethnographic Work: Final Thoughts References 13 Making Sense of Field Material: From Euphoria to Despair and Back An Ethnographic Reanalysis An Engineer and a Sociologist Who Love Technology Beginning Anew Municipalities Do Not Do What They Say Cyberfactories Produce Overflow of Information Between Euphoria and Despair: Sense-Making Notes References 14 Learning to Fly: On Teaching the Ethnographic Craft Learning and Teaching Ethnography Teaching and Learning Ethnography Privacy and Intimacy Ethics Support Listening and Trust Ethnographic Wisdom Outside of Academia What We Have Learnt Notes Bibliography 15 Futures of Organizational Ethnography: (Post)pandemic Reflections and New Possibilities Reflections From a Time of Pandemic Responding to the Challenges of Covid in Real Time Original Research Design Revised Research Design Methodological Assumptions Ethical Practical Opportunities and Surprising Benefits Speculating On the Futures of Organizational Ethnography Ethnography in Digital Context Ethnography in Crisis/of Crisis Ethnography in Absentia References Index