It has been proposed that engagement with activism might make critical organizational scholarship... more It has been proposed that engagement with activism might make critical organizational scholarship more relevant to practitioners. However, there is a lack of systematic inquiry into how such engagement might be undertaken, which this article redresses. We propose activist ethnography as a suitable methodological framework for critical organizational scholarship, drawing on organizational ethnography, militant ethnography, and participatory action research, to construct a theoretical framework which we use to analyze four ethnographic vignettes of our own experiences of research with activists. Our contribution is to (a), assess the methodological challenges and opportunities of engagement with activism, (b) give an account of our own experiences as activist ethnographers for others to learn from, and (c) propose strategies whereby the challenges of academic activism might be negotiated and the opportunities maximized.
How do nonprofit practitioners learn to understand themselves as nonprofit professionals? Althoug... more How do nonprofit practitioners learn to understand themselves as nonprofit professionals? Although the literature has explored the extent and repercussions of nonprofits becoming more business-like and professionalized, little attention has been placed on the process through which this professionalization happens. Using an auto-ethnography based upon my practice as co-founder and eventual manager of a small nonprofit organization, this article narrates the range of practices and mechanisms through which I came to understand myself as a nonprofit professional. Following Mitchell Dean, who draws heavily on Michel Foucault’s later work, this paper argues that professionalization is taught to nonprofit practitioners through two intertwined mechanisms; the ‘technologies of performance’, which include funding, and evaluation and monitoring procedures; and ‘technologies of agency’, which involve the often subtle socialization mechanisms into the sector. It thus deepens our understanding of how the transition towards being more business-like is occurring.
Organization theorists have predominantly studied identity and organizing within the managed work... more Organization theorists have predominantly studied identity and organizing within the managed work organization. This frames organization as a structure within which identity work occurs, often as a means of managerial control. In our paper our contribution is to develop the concept of individuation pursued through prefigurative practices within alternative organizing to reframe this relation. We combine recent scholarship on alternative organizations and new social movements to provide a theoretical grounding for an ethnographic study of the prefigurative organizing practices and related identity work of an alternative group in a UK city. We argue that in such groups, identity, organizing and politics become a purposeful set of integrated processes aimed at the creation of new forms of life in the here and now, thus organizing is politics is identity. Our study presents a number of challenges and possibilities to scholars of organization, enabling them to extend their understanding of organization and identity in the contemporary world.
Despite the regular calls for critical management studies (CMS) scholars to actively intervene in... more Despite the regular calls for critical management studies (CMS) scholars to actively intervene in organizational practice, there have been few published examples. This paper provides an illustrative example of intervention by offering four case studies which examine the tensions and contradictions of the academic at work in the world.Based on these examples it calls into question some of the
assumptions of the recent performative turn by arguing that direct engagement in practice is complicated and messy. However, these challenges should not be prohibitive for engaged action.
Rather, following Gibson-Graham (2006b), they provide an integral feature of direct engagement and transformation which requires a new sensibility for theorising that moves to enhance to possibilities for action.
What happens when you try to engage with management practice as a critical management scholar by ... more What happens when you try to engage with management practice as a critical management scholar by actually doing management? Although there have been calls for critical scholars to attempt such engagement, little is known about the practical challenges and learning that may be involved. This paper therefore provides a case study which details some of the experiences one of us had when working as a manager – while trying to remain true to his
critical sensibilities. The story suggests that transforming management practice will be a constant struggle, and that the difficulties of achieving even small changes should not be
underestimated. However change is not impossible. Following Foucault, we argue that critical perspectives, when engaged in particular ways, offer resources through which we might challenge the dominance of managerialist thinking on a practical level; at least in the long run.
Organizational Behaviour is the only text to use a running case study to demonstrate the applicat... more Organizational Behaviour is the only text to use a running case study to demonstrate the application of organizational behaviour in the real world, helping students with limited or no real-life experience of the business world to engage critically and effectively with the subject.
It has been proposed that engagement with activism might make critical organizational scholarship... more It has been proposed that engagement with activism might make critical organizational scholarship more relevant to practitioners. However, there is a lack of systematic inquiry into how such engagement might be undertaken, which this article redresses. We propose activist ethnography as a suitable methodological framework for critical organizational scholarship, drawing on organizational ethnography, militant ethnography, and participatory action research, to construct a theoretical framework which we use to analyze four ethnographic vignettes of our own experiences of research with activists. Our contribution is to (a), assess the methodological challenges and opportunities of engagement with activism, (b) give an account of our own experiences as activist ethnographers for others to learn from, and (c) propose strategies whereby the challenges of academic activism might be negotiated and the opportunities maximized.
How do nonprofit practitioners learn to understand themselves as nonprofit professionals? Althoug... more How do nonprofit practitioners learn to understand themselves as nonprofit professionals? Although the literature has explored the extent and repercussions of nonprofits becoming more business-like and professionalized, little attention has been placed on the process through which this professionalization happens. Using an auto-ethnography based upon my practice as co-founder and eventual manager of a small nonprofit organization, this article narrates the range of practices and mechanisms through which I came to understand myself as a nonprofit professional. Following Mitchell Dean, who draws heavily on Michel Foucault’s later work, this paper argues that professionalization is taught to nonprofit practitioners through two intertwined mechanisms; the ‘technologies of performance’, which include funding, and evaluation and monitoring procedures; and ‘technologies of agency’, which involve the often subtle socialization mechanisms into the sector. It thus deepens our understanding of how the transition towards being more business-like is occurring.
Organization theorists have predominantly studied identity and organizing within the managed work... more Organization theorists have predominantly studied identity and organizing within the managed work organization. This frames organization as a structure within which identity work occurs, often as a means of managerial control. In our paper our contribution is to develop the concept of individuation pursued through prefigurative practices within alternative organizing to reframe this relation. We combine recent scholarship on alternative organizations and new social movements to provide a theoretical grounding for an ethnographic study of the prefigurative organizing practices and related identity work of an alternative group in a UK city. We argue that in such groups, identity, organizing and politics become a purposeful set of integrated processes aimed at the creation of new forms of life in the here and now, thus organizing is politics is identity. Our study presents a number of challenges and possibilities to scholars of organization, enabling them to extend their understanding of organization and identity in the contemporary world.
Despite the regular calls for critical management studies (CMS) scholars to actively intervene in... more Despite the regular calls for critical management studies (CMS) scholars to actively intervene in organizational practice, there have been few published examples. This paper provides an illustrative example of intervention by offering four case studies which examine the tensions and contradictions of the academic at work in the world.Based on these examples it calls into question some of the
assumptions of the recent performative turn by arguing that direct engagement in practice is complicated and messy. However, these challenges should not be prohibitive for engaged action.
Rather, following Gibson-Graham (2006b), they provide an integral feature of direct engagement and transformation which requires a new sensibility for theorising that moves to enhance to possibilities for action.
What happens when you try to engage with management practice as a critical management scholar by ... more What happens when you try to engage with management practice as a critical management scholar by actually doing management? Although there have been calls for critical scholars to attempt such engagement, little is known about the practical challenges and learning that may be involved. This paper therefore provides a case study which details some of the experiences one of us had when working as a manager – while trying to remain true to his
critical sensibilities. The story suggests that transforming management practice will be a constant struggle, and that the difficulties of achieving even small changes should not be
underestimated. However change is not impossible. Following Foucault, we argue that critical perspectives, when engaged in particular ways, offer resources through which we might challenge the dominance of managerialist thinking on a practical level; at least in the long run.
Organizational Behaviour is the only text to use a running case study to demonstrate the applicat... more Organizational Behaviour is the only text to use a running case study to demonstrate the application of organizational behaviour in the real world, helping students with limited or no real-life experience of the business world to engage critically and effectively with the subject.
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Papers by Daniel King
Following Mitchell Dean, who draws heavily on Michel Foucault’s later work, this paper argues that professionalization is taught to nonprofit practitioners through two intertwined mechanisms; the ‘technologies of performance’, which include funding, and evaluation and monitoring procedures; and ‘technologies of agency’, which involve the often subtle socialization mechanisms into the sector. It thus deepens our understanding of how the transition towards being more business-like is occurring.
assumptions of the recent performative turn by arguing that direct engagement in practice is complicated and messy. However, these challenges should not be prohibitive for engaged action.
Rather, following Gibson-Graham (2006b), they provide an integral feature of direct engagement and transformation which requires a new sensibility for theorising that moves to enhance to possibilities for action.
critical sensibilities. The story suggests that transforming management practice will be a constant struggle, and that the difficulties of achieving even small changes should not be
underestimated. However change is not impossible. Following Foucault, we argue that critical perspectives, when engaged in particular ways, offer resources through which we might challenge the dominance of managerialist thinking on a practical level; at least in the long run.
Books by Daniel King
Conference Presentations by Daniel King
Following Mitchell Dean, who draws heavily on Michel Foucault’s later work, this paper argues that professionalization is taught to nonprofit practitioners through two intertwined mechanisms; the ‘technologies of performance’, which include funding, and evaluation and monitoring procedures; and ‘technologies of agency’, which involve the often subtle socialization mechanisms into the sector. It thus deepens our understanding of how the transition towards being more business-like is occurring.
assumptions of the recent performative turn by arguing that direct engagement in practice is complicated and messy. However, these challenges should not be prohibitive for engaged action.
Rather, following Gibson-Graham (2006b), they provide an integral feature of direct engagement and transformation which requires a new sensibility for theorising that moves to enhance to possibilities for action.
critical sensibilities. The story suggests that transforming management practice will be a constant struggle, and that the difficulties of achieving even small changes should not be
underestimated. However change is not impossible. Following Foucault, we argue that critical perspectives, when engaged in particular ways, offer resources through which we might challenge the dominance of managerialist thinking on a practical level; at least in the long run.