Introductory description

This module aims to provide doctoral students with an in depth understanding of the principles, variety, and practicalities of using ethnographic methods in organisational and management research.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The troublesome history of ethnography and organizational ethnography
Debates and paradigmatic wars in ethnography
Participation observation and its methods
Tools of the trade in participant observation (1) getting access, ethics, entering and existing the field
Tools of the trade in participant observation (2) note taking, working in team ethnography, being in the field, memoing.
Shadowing and other techniques to study work on the move
Netnography and doing ethnography on-line
Autoethnography, visual & sensorial ethnography and other non-conventional ways of understanding the ethnographic project
Ways of writing ethnography
Textwork in ethnographic research: from notes to theory
How to make ethnographic research robust and convicting
How to make ethnographic research relevant

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand the nature, variety, and affordances of ethnographic methods in organisation and management research.
• Compare, contrast, and critically appraise different and alternative methods.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Subject specific skills

Understand the different types, approaches and ways to use ethnographic research methods to study management phenomena.
Expand the range of methodological approaches they can employ in their PhD project.
Understand the nature variety and affordances of ethnographic methods in organisation and management research.
Compare, contrast, and critically appraise different and alternative methods.
Learn how to use one or more of these methods.
Learn some of the tricks of the trade developed by the research community.

Transferable skills

Observational skills.
Critical and reflective thinking.
Communication and writing skill.
Appropriately utilise and mobilise concepts from different perspectives related to ethnographic research method and practice.
Demonstrate an enhanced ability to reflect on the basic assumptions of ethnographic research case study research and appreciate how they can employ the case method in their PhD.