From panel talk on the experience of being an outside consultant, going into an organization to do a project. Wh

1. Doing Corporate Ethnography As An Outsider Mary Walker, VP Organizational Development, Rackspace Society for Applied Anthropology, Annual Conference March 2011 Panel on Corporate Ethnography: Various Topics

2. Definitions

3. What do we mean by “Doing Ethnography”?

4. Corporate Ethnography: from traditional ethnography…

5. …to “para-ethnography”

6. Most of what happens in corporations is para-ethnography Ethnography conducted via ESP Meaning-making activities that have “an ethnographic sensibility” “…something that approximates ethnographic [activity]…” “…an aspect of expert practice…” “…an alternative and valid method of knowledge” [an alternative to quantitative methods of knowledge] “Fast-Capitalism: Para Ethnography & the Rise of the Symbolic Analyst” by Douglas R. Holmes & George C. Marcus. From Frontiers of Capital: Ethnographic Reflections on the New Economy, editors Melissa Fischer & Greg Downey, 2005. Smells like…ethnography

7. Corporate para-ethnography = activities with an ethnographic mindset - seek understanding & insight into people’s day-to-day lives- avoid value judgments (shoulds, right-vs-wrong, smart-vs-stupid) - respect the full range, variety & weirdness of human experience - We need more of this mindset in the world. We need more of this mindset in the world Just ask Jaron Lanier

9. Long term study (years)

10. On-site, in-person

13. Short-term (days, weeks, months)

16. External orientation (outside the organization) Para-ethnographic disciplines examples: market research, customer experience, product development, customer service, etc. Study people outside the organization (customers etc.) with adapted ethno techniques “Organizational Ethnography” Study people inside the organization (employees) with adapted ethno techniques Para-ethnographic disciplines Examples: human resources, coaching, organizational development, process improvement, program/project management, etc. Internal orientation (into the organization)

17. Back to definitions: What do we mean by “outsider”?

18. Simplest answer: not an employee* *But that’s not the only answer. Depends on the organization & context.

19. “Outsider-ness” in an organizational setting can be complicated… Acting Leader of X Executive of a support function Full time W2 employee Executive coach Overseas affiliate Temp-to-perm candidate Auditor sent from headquarters to field Executive of line function Long-term on-site vendor Internal consultant Summer intern Ex-employee, now contractor You …varies by context & observer

20. An outsider is somebody who is not part of my… Organizational Context Organization Department Work group Team Seniority level Job type Location Societal Context Geographic Ethnic Linguistic Religion Social status Wealth Education Family

21. The Outsider Experience: Re-creating the Hero’s Journey (one project at a time)

22. Outside consultant on The Hero’s Journey Objective Companions Crossing the Threshold Meeting Helpers & Hinderers Road of Trials Temptations Completion Separation & Departure

23. What is your official objective? (hint: they wrote it in your contract)

24. What are the unofficial objectives? Of the person who brought you in: Outside expert brings credibility Hit man to do my dirty work Skill transfer to my internal people Spend down my budget before I lose it Experiment, fishing expedition Responding to pressure from higher-ups Scapegoat Yours: Your own learning Promote humanistic values in the project, organization or profession Get a new reference client Learn a new company, industry, area, topic Material for an article / book / presentation (cough, cough) Figuring out your sponsor’s unofficial objectives is key Know thyself You have agency What matters to you?

25. Are you a lone hand? Companions Your outsider experience is heavily dependent on your companions -- other outsiders/consultants you’re working with (if any) Or one of a group?

26. Crossing the Threshold: going onsite The physical environment of the client’s workplace is rich with information (material artifacts & context for behaviors and interactions).

28. To whom, in what order

29. What is & isn’t said

30. Implied permission frame

31. Body language, affect

33. Meeting Helpers & Hinderers As people assess your presence in their organization, they decide whether to help, obstruct or stand aside. Mapping allies, opponents & neutrals is part of the outsider experience.

34. Road of Trials They wouldn’t have hired you if they’d been able to easily do it for themselves. There will be monsters and riddles and wolves in sheep’s clothing.

36. Avoiding sacred cows that need scrutiny

37. Looking the other way: ignoring uncomfortable implications

39. Scope constraints

40. Changing priorities

41. Political battles

42. Your own imperfect skills in navigating challengesYou still have to wrap it up & move on.

44. Disposition of materials: notes, reports, etc.

45. Lessons learned: personal, group

46. Separation & departure rituals

48. Strengths & joys of being an outsider Variety: different projects, different organizations Development of new skills in becoming a consultant Psychological growth in “leaving the herd” - proving yourself, going it alone Higher cash income than insiders Easier to maintain independence & boundaries

49. An idiosyncratic bibliography Kleiner, Art. Who Really Matters: The Core Group Theory of Power, Privilege & Success. Currency/Doubleday, 2003. Jordan, Ann. Business Anthropology. Ann Jordan. Waveland Press, 2002. Moeran, Brian. The Business of Ethnography: Strategic Exchange, People & Organizations. Berg Publishers, 2005. Schwartzman, Helen. Ethnography in Organizations. Sage Publications, 2002. Wolcott, Harry. Ethnography: A Way of Seeing. Altamira Press, 2nd edition, 2008. Wright, Susan. The Anthropology of Organizations. Routledge, 1994. Block, Peter. Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used. Pfeiffer, 3rd edition, 2011. Cefkin, Melissa, editor. Ethnography and the Corporate Encounter: Reflections on Research in and of Corporations. Berghahn Books, 2009. Gellner, David and Hirsh, Eric, editors. Inside Organizations: Anthropologists at Work. Berg Publishers, 2001. Ho, Karen. Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street. Duke University Press, 2009.

50. Doing (Para) Ethnography As A Corporate Outsider