Agnès Vandevelde-Rougale and Patricia Guerrero Morales
This chapter looks at the discursive dimension of the working environment in research and higher education organizations; more specifically at neoliberal managerial discourse and…
Abstract
This chapter looks at the discursive dimension of the working environment in research and higher education organizations; more specifically at neoliberal managerial discourse and at how it participates in shaping the way researchers, teachers and support staff perceive themselves and their experiences. It is based on a multiple case study and combines an intersectional and a socio-clinical approach. The empirical data is constituted by in-depth interviews with women conducted in Ireland and Chile, and includes some observations made in France. A thematic analysis of individual narratives of self-ascribed experiences of being bullied enables to look behind the veil drawn by managerial discourse, thus providing insights into power vectors and power domains contributing to workplace violence. It also shows that workplace bullying may reinforce identification to undervalued social categories. This contribution argues that neoliberal managerial discourse, by encouraging social representations of “neutral” individuals at work, or else celebrating their “diversity,” conceals power relations rooting on different social categories. This process influences one’s perception of one’s experience and its verbalization. At the same time, feeling assigned to one or more of undervalued social category can raise the perception of being bullied or discriminated against. While research has shown that only a minority of incidents of bullying and discrimination are reported within organizations, this contribution suggests that acknowledging the multiplicity and superposition of categories and their influence in shaping power relations could help secure a more collective and caring approach, and thus foster a safer work culture and atmosphere in research organizations.
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Nosipho Philisiwe Gumede and Teresa Hattingh
This study aims to explore the role of discretion anatomy and multiplicity to show how discretion components, range, levels and goals can direct corporate social responsibility…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the role of discretion anatomy and multiplicity to show how discretion components, range, levels and goals can direct corporate social responsibility (CSR) and prevent corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR). This paper shifts the discretion perspective towards composition to enable a full assessment of the impact of discretion on CSR and CSiR.
Design/methodology/approach
This study overlays discretion and CSR theory onto the South African engineering context using professional competency standards set by the national accrediting body to develop a set of principles.
Findings
A model with 16 principles is proposed to establish relationships between the decision dynamics of technical professionals, social principles, social responsiveness and social outcomes.
Practical implications
The principles can be used by professionals to determine how their technical decisions can drive socially responsible acts and prevent socially irresponsible acts.
Originality/value
This paper integrates Wood’s (1991) and Frederick’s (2018) CSR perspectives with recent discretion theory developments. This paper centres high-discretion managers who typically occupy key positions in organisational structures where daily technical decisions can have generational social impact.
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Kaisu Koivumäki and Clare Wilkinson
This paper reports on research exploring the intersections between researchers and communication professionals' perspectives on the objectives, funders and organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reports on research exploring the intersections between researchers and communication professionals' perspectives on the objectives, funders and organizational influences on their science communication practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Examining one context, the inter-organizational BCDC Energy Research project based at five different research organizations in Finland, this paper presents data from semi-structured interviews with 17 researchers and 15 communication professionals.
Findings
The results suggest that performance-based funding policies that drive the proliferation of large-scale research projects can create challenges. In particular, a challenge arises in generating a shared sense of identity and purpose amongst researchers and communication professionals. This may have unintended negative impacts on the quality and cohesiveness of the science communication which occurs.
Research limitations/implications
The study was exploratory in nature and focuses on one organizational and institutional environment. Further research with a wider number of projects, as well as funders, would be conducive to a greater understanding of the issues involved.
Practical implications
On a practical level, this research suggests that the creation of clearer communications awareness and guidance may be helpful in some large-scale projects, particularly involving broad numbers of organizations, individual researchers and funders.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies examining the perspectives of both researchers and communication professionals working over one project, drawing together a range of different institutional and disciplinary perspectives. The results highlight the importance of the influences of funding on science communication aims, assumptions, cultures and structures. The article articulates the need for further research in this area.