Abstract
John Weeks, IMD
Galit Ailon, Bar-Ilan University
Mary Yoko Brannen, University of Victoria and INSEAD
Overview
To think of organizations as cultures and communities implies a focus on the knowledge forms and social meanings of day-to-day organizational life. Moreover, it implies looking at how structures, networks, institutions, power, innovation and routine—the building blocks of organization theory—play out in everyday life. Close study and thick description of day-to-day life in organizations give us a live view of the high-level processes of organization; they enrich and complicate our theories of organizational behavior. Observing the dynamic, quotidian attempts of people in organizations to explore, shape, contest, and negotiate new cultural possibilities and new community forms, helps us to unravel the microprocesses through which multinational corporations, institutions and networks are created, maintained and disrupted.
Understanding how people make sense of themselves and their organizations—and the ways in which broader and more narrow cultures and communities both shape and are shaped by those meanings—deepens our understanding of what our concepts mean and how our theories work. Further, it holds the potential to increase our sphere of empathy by rendering otherness familiar. Looking beneath the surface of seeming banality, studies of the day-to-day life of cultures and communities can further our understanding of the richness and complexity of people’s experiences, struggles, beliefs, and interpretations. Beyond our theoretical ambitions, they can enrich our empirical knowledge of and appreciation for people in organizations.
This call for papers invites submissions that explore the everyday life of organizations. Ethnography is the natural method of studying the seemingly mundane life in organizations and the making of meaning there, and we anticipate that ethnographic studies will be an ideal fit for the special issue. We also welcome, however, theoretical papers that fit the theme as well as metastudies that examine the contributions research about everyday life to theory, thought and practice.
Possible but not exhaustive topic list
How understanding aspects of day-to-day life in organizations, and the systems of meaning that guide everyday life, can inform our high-level concepts and theories of organizational behavior.
The value of close observation of everyday life to our understanding of phenomena not normally seen as cultural or communal, such as corporate finance, corporate social responsibility, creativity, entrepreneurial ventures, and sustainability.
Community-based organizing and alternative forms of organizations.
The ways in which the meaning of everyday life is never monolithic and may be contested, negotiated and diverse. Studies that draw attention to a variety of perspectives and work-life experiences and show how they matter to organizations and organization theory.
Studies at different levels of analysis both within and beyond individual organizations.Research focusing on organizational sub-groups, counter-cultures, multiple team perspectives. Studies that look at the relationships that organizations have with each other and diverse stakeholder groups, the relationship of organization and culture, the politics of organization and community.
How the “subjects” of our studies are themselves becoming more reflexive and using forms of ethnography to learn about the day-to-day goings-on in organizations in order to shape their organizational worlds and communities.
The impact of the new workplace demographic on patterns of everyday life and sense-making.
Multiculturalism in today’s complex global communities, how it patterns day-to-day life in diverse organizations and the high-level impact that has on organizations.
Submissions
Organization Studies is hosted on SAGE track a web based online submission and peer review system powered by ScholarOne™ Manuscripts. Simply visit http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/orgstudies to login and submit your article online. Once you have created your account and you are ready to submit your paper you need to choose this particular Special Issue from the drop down menu that is provided for the type of submission. You will be able to submit your paper for this Special Issue through SAGETrack between the
All papers will be double-blindly reviewed following the journal’s normal review process and criteria. Any papers which may be accepted but will not be included in the Special Issue will be published in an ordinary issue at a later point in time.
For further information please contact any of the Guest Editors for this Special Issue:
John Weeks:
Administrative support & general queries
Sophia Tzagaraki, Managing Editor, Organization Studies: