Maree Veronica Boyle

Telling the Whole Story: The Case for Organizational Autoethnography

We propose that autoethnography has a fruitful contribution to make to organizational research. The ethnographic process has always been an essential way of studying culture, including organizational culture. The introspective and retrospective nature of autoethnography can enhance understanding of the link between the individual and the organization very effectively. The intensely reflexive nature of autoethnography allows the organizational researcher to make that link. An aesthetic style of prose helps. An increasing use of first person narrative in organizational research also helps. Co‐constructed autoethnography is proposed. The intensely emotive and personal nature of autoethnography impacts upon the sensemaking of the reader. The extant literature can be weaved into the autoethnographic narrative.

Gendered perceptions of experiential value in using web‐based retail channels

Purpose – This paper compares the experiential consumption values that motivate consumer choice to purchase online for both male and female purchasers and non-purchasers. Design/methodology/approach – Using the theory of consumption value the study examines gendered perceptions of the functional, social and conditional value of using a virtual consumption setting for purchasing. Data was collected through an online survey and analysed using multiple discriminant analysis to determine meaningful differences between male and female purchasers and non-purchasers. Findings – The findings show that male online purchasers are discriminated from female purchasers by social value and from male non-purchasers by conditional value. Female purchasers are discriminated from male purchasers by functional value and from female non-purchasers by social value. Female non-purchasers are discriminated from female purchasers by conditional value. Male non-purchasers are discriminated from male purchasers by functional and social value. Research limitations/implications – Limitations include using an Internet survey and an Australian sample which may impact the generalisability of the findings to a wider population of Internet users. Future research should involve replication of the study in a country more or less developed in terms of gender composition of internet users to extend the generalisability of the findings. Additionally, researchers should examine whether other dimensions of consumption value,such as social influence through on- and off-line communication networks, may influence consumer choice to purchase online. Practical implications – The study provides practical implications for marketers to leverage consumption values that influence male and female consumers’ choice to purchase online and then drive their behaviour online through integrated marketing campaigns that involve both on- and offline strategies. Originality/value – The research makes an original contribution to the consumer behaviour literature as to date, no research has been found that undertakes such a comprehensive gender-based comparison of the perceived value of using a virtual consumption setting for purchasing.

Constraints to Organizational Learning During Major Change at a Mental Health Services Facility

Abstract This paper explains what happened during a three years long qualitative study at a mental health services organization. The study focuses on differences between espoused theory and theory in use during the implementation of a new service delivery model. This major organizational change occurred in a National policy environment of major health budget cutbacks. Primarily as a result of poor resourcing provided to bring about policy change and poor implementation of a series of termination plans, a number of constraints to learning contributed to the difficulties in implementing the new service delivery model. The study explores what occurred during the change process. Rather than blame participants of change for the poor outcomes, the study is set in a broader context of a policy environment—that of major health cutbacks.

How gendered is organizational commitment? The case of academic faculty

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the gendered and emotionalized nature of organizational commitment in a university context.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a qualitative study that utilizes a grounded theory approach. The research investigates the gendered and emotionalized nature of commitment which is often not accurately and clearly understood in the context of the modern workplace.Findings – The research finds that the existing measures of organizational commitment are biased and are not appropriate measures of the commitment of women and some men in contemporary workplaces. Studying organizational commitment using an interpretive approach allows a more realistic picture to emerge.Practical implications – Current approaches focus on measurement rather than understanding the nature of organizational commitment. As a consequence, the commitment of women, and some men, is not accurately and clearly understood in many workplaces. Lack of understanding leads to the per...

Modes of organising at two health services organizations: A case study approach

Abstract This paper applies a case study methodology to examine the development of two distinct models of organising allied health professionals within two health service organizations. In particular, it explores options in modes of organising. Case study data reflected that in one case a single stakeholder entity was achieved through the development of quasi-shareholder roles for allied health discipline leaders. In contrast, the second case included multiple small weak stakeholders who had competing visions regarding both identity and resource allocation. The emergence of these two distinct forms of organising within allied health has implications for policy and practice.

The “Green Mile”: crystallization ethnography in an emotive context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss emotions within a highly emotive organizational setting through the use of crystallization. The authors contend that the expression of a researchers positionality as a presence within their research is crucial in contexts where conventional research approaches are unable to capture the depth of the phenomenon under study. The paper argues that the presentation of research findings from highly emotional organizational context will benefit from a challenge to traditional ways of representing and communicating the researchers experience. As an example of this, in this paper the authors examine the emotions involved in experiencing animal euthanasia in a work context. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws ethnographic methods of fieldwork in an Australian animal shelter. The paper uses autoethnography and interview data. Findings – Euthanasia is one of the most tolling experiences for animal shelter workers. This paper reveals that through a creative...