Tuula Heiskanen and Hannu Heiskanen
By comparing two small high‐tech firms specialising in medical technology this article seeks to answer the following questions: What are the key characteristics of innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
By comparing two small high‐tech firms specialising in medical technology this article seeks to answer the following questions: What are the key characteristics of innovation processes in the case firms? How do the mutual relationships between mental, social and physical spaces explain the different pathways in the innovation processes in the firms?
Design/methodology/approach
One case is based on an in‐depth study conducted by the authors. Regarding the other case, a secondary analysis is conducted of a case described in the literature. Both cases apply several data sources. The case firms are comparable in their most crucial aspects (field, main product, geographical location, joint learning space in the start‐up phase).
Findings
The firms have many similar features. The study, however, draws attention to the factors that have made them substantially different as contexts of innovation activities. The differences are interpreted through the concepts of physical, social and mental space. Special attention is paid to the tightness/permeability of boundaries circumscribing spaces and to how this condition supports/inhibits cooperation between different occupational groups in the product planning process. Tightness of boundaries is not unambiguously a good or a bad thing but permeable boundaries are needed when a mix of different knowledge bases is vital.
Research limitations/implications
The focus remains within the firms. Innovation activities extend also beyond the borders of the organisation.
Practical implications
Management should be aware of the productive and counterproductive effects of spaces and the means to influence their shaping.
Originality/value
The study highlights the potential of the concept of space in an empirical comparative setting for studying organisational prerequisites for innovation processes and related learning and cooperation.
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Katri Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta, Minna Leinonen, Risto Nikkanen and Tuula Heiskanen
Addressing the challenges expressed by organization researchers and Leslie McCall with her conceptual framework of intercategorical analysis, this paper contributes to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Addressing the challenges expressed by organization researchers and Leslie McCall with her conceptual framework of intercategorical analysis, this paper contributes to the methodological debate on intersectionality. The purpose of this paper is to explore intersectionality on the organizational level in the Finnish defence forces (FDF). In the paper, the authors explore how the interactions between categories of gender, age, and position in the organization explain the concerns of employees in the changing military organization. Furthermore, the authors also investigate the types of intersectional mechanisms behind the empirical observations.
Design/methodology/approach
The logistic regression analysis is based on a survey addressed to the whole salaried personnel in the FDF in 2011 (n=8,093, response rate being 54 per cent).
Findings
In line with McCall’s (2005) intercategorical approach, the analysis shows that the plain examination of main effects of the variables will not suffice, but the interaction effects of the variables must also be examined. The analysis indicates that even though women in general experienced more concerns, gender does not alone explain the concerns expressed by the members of the FDF, but age and especially personnel group are significant in understanding configurations of positions in relation to the organizational change process.
Research limitations/implications
The methodological limitation of the study is that although the data were large, it was not possible to conduct three-ways analysis, because of the size of some groups.
Originality/value
The study offers a noteworthy addition to the rare research of practising intersectionality in the conceptual framework using quantitative methods.
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The understanding of expert knowledge as shared, distributed and contextualised has gained ground. The case description in this article focuses on developing expert knowledge in a…
Abstract
The understanding of expert knowledge as shared, distributed and contextualised has gained ground. The case description in this article focuses on developing expert knowledge in a situation in which both knowledge needs and the definition of expertise fields changed radically in the public sector within a social crisis. The article examines an educational process against the idea of a knowledge‐building community as defined by Bereiter and Scardamalia in 1993. The aim is to highlight the pattern and flow of a progressive discourse. Alongside the idea of a knowledge‐building community, Boland and Tenkasi's 1995 notion of perspective taking and perspective making is utilised. The article discusses the factors that contributed to the success of discussion in the setting in which the target group was characterised by the transcending of organisational boundaries and expertise fields.
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Adelina Broadbridge and Jeff Hearn
To introduce the special issue.
Abstract
Purpose
To introduce the special issue.
Design/methodology/approach
A brief description of the Gender and Management track at the European Academy of Management Conference and an outline of the papers in the issue.
Findings
The track examined various issues and the papers chosen from the track for the special issue are closest to the central concerns of the journal.
Originality/value
Provides a summary of the perspectives considered.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse management and employee experiences of gender divisions at work and to reflect on gender boundaries using the method of democratic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse management and employee experiences of gender divisions at work and to reflect on gender boundaries using the method of democratic dialogue. It also considers the use of experiences in efforts supporting workplace democracy.
Design/methodology/approach
Finnish action research project sought to promote both gender equality and democratic dialogue. Content analysis is applied on group discussions on promoting gender equality at work.
Findings
Gender divisions in organizations were widely recognized. Challenges arose from the incompatibility of images of gender and gendered images of work. Participants’ perspectives varied depending on their hierarchical position.
Research limitations/implications
Democratic dialogue provides tools to approach sensitive topics that need special attention in promoting gender equality.
Practical implications
Work organizations need to use forums that bring together management and employee perspectives with a gender‐sensitive approach to support workplace democracy.
Originality/value
The paper shows that, to enable change, the understandings of gender and gender equality have to be negotiated on the local level and in a way that connects to participants’ realities and experiences.