Latha Poonamallee

Building grounded theory in action research through the interplay of subjective ontology and objective epistemology

In this article, I contribute to the discourse on building theory within the context of action research. Specifically, drawing on advaita (non-dualism) philosophy from Hinduism, I describe a holistic framework which views life as holistic, that is, comprising both subjective and objective views of reality and thus promoting interplay between ontological subjectivity and epistemological objectivity. I illustrate with examples, how anchored in a holistic paradigm, I used principles of constant comparison in developing the theoretical category of sacredness in its various dimensions. I also describe two dimensions that characterized this process: researcher as insider-outsider and researchers affirmations and ambivalences.

Transforming Realities—Making the Improbable Possible: Reclamation of Sacredness as a Source of Generative Capacities:

Understanding the nature and source of generative capacities for radical change has been an enduring concern for researchers of organizations and social movements. However, the role of spirituality as a resource in social movements is an undertheorized area. Based on the field study of a successful, long-term social movement in India and drawing on the emerging discourse on spirituality in organizational literature, the author describes how in a community reclamation of the sacred came to be a source of generative capacities for transformation. This article describes a dynamic model of change that begins with recognition of the sacred and positive action that has the potential to spiral to escalating levels of positive change. The article also describes how the sacred in this community is manifested as a socioecological, relational ethic. The author concludes by discussing the implications of this framework for social movements and organizational change theories.

Venture technological innovation, social value and economic value: The influence of customer-beneficiary alignment

The technological innovation literature has widely considered the process and outcomes of market driven firms. However, research on the innovation process and outcomes of socially driven firms, particularly socio-technological entrepreneurial ventures, is very limited. In particular, the influence of the alignment of customer versus beneficiary needs has not been addressed within this literature yet is an important consideration for socio-technological venture development and subsequent innovation impact. As a result, in this paper we present a conceptual model explaining how technological innovation impact is influenced by venture orientation, organizational structure, and customer/beneficiary alignment. Unlike a market oriented venture that typically selects a for-profit structure, a socially oriented venture may select from a choice of for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid structures, influenced by founder experience. We also posit that customer-beneficiary alignment can influence the relationship between structure and innovation impact. When customer and beneficiary preferences are less aligned, a non-profit structure offers the greatest innovation impact for social value with minimal impact on economic value while a hybrid structure offers greater innovation impact for both social and economic value and a for-profit structure offers greater impact for economic value. However, when customer and beneficiary preferences are more aligned, a for-profit structure offers the greatest innovation impact for both social and economic value.

Intra- and Inter-organizational Controls in Outsourcing: Controlees’ Perspectives

Control is central to effective IS development. In the past, when the projects were carried out within the organization, controls were primarily intra-organizational. With outsourcing, controls are both intra-organizational and inter-organizational, since the controlee (vendor project team) is controlled by controllers from their own (vendor managers) as well as external organizations (client managers). The current research on outsourced projects focuses only on the inter-organizational aspect of controls. We argue that when internal as well as external controllers with potentially conflicting goals try to implement controls to fulfil their own needs, it creates challenges for controlees. Based on a field study of teams that deliver IT services globally, this paper examines both intra- and inter-organizational controls operating in outsourcing contexts, and brings to light the specific challenges created by their simultaneous presence. In doing this, unlike the previous approaches that give prominence to ...