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Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies

Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies Commentary on Goodall Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies CHARLES CONRAD Texas A&M'University ROFESSOR Goodall's essay raises at least four important issues facing scholars who are interested in developing interpretive accounts of sym­ bolic action in formal organizations. First, his focus on "nonverbal" elements of organizations comments upon and adds to a growing literature that has examined the cultural implications of the physical trappings of various organiza­ tional ceremonies (Smircich, 1983; Walter, 1983), the ways in which nonverbal displays support the dominant metaphors of organizations (Barley, 1983), the ways in which "physical humor" contributes to the meanings employees attach to work (Boland & Hoffman, 1983), and the impact that change in physical environment has on the taken-far-granted assumptions of a culture and on patterns of com­ munication (Wilkins, 1989). Although the essay does not provide as extensive an analysis as Rosen's (1985) classic study of the ways in which organizational power relationships are simultaneously revealed and reinforced by physical displays, it establishes a potentially productive direction for communication scholars. Second, presenting the softball team as a representative anecdote (Burke, 1945a) of the organization's overall culture, Goodall raises important questions about how researchers should grapple with organizational actors' simultaneous http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annals of the International Communication Association Taylor & Francis

Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies

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Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies

Abstract

Commentary on Goodall Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies CHARLES CONRAD Texas A&M'University ROFESSOR Goodall's essay raises at least four important issues facing scholars who are interested in developing interpretive accounts of sym­ bolic action in formal organizations. First, his focus on "nonverbal" elements of organizations comments upon and adds to a growing literature that has examined the cultural implications of the physical trappings...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 1990 Taylor and Francis Group LLC
ISSN
2380-8977
eISSN
2380-8985
DOI
10.1080/23808985.1990.11678747
Publisher site
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Abstract

Commentary on Goodall Rhetoric and the Display of Organizational Ethnographies CHARLES CONRAD Texas A&M'University ROFESSOR Goodall's essay raises at least four important issues facing scholars who are interested in developing interpretive accounts of sym­ bolic action in formal organizations. First, his focus on "nonverbal" elements of organizations comments upon and adds to a growing literature that has examined the cultural implications of the physical trappings of various organiza­ tional ceremonies (Smircich, 1983; Walter, 1983), the ways in which nonverbal displays support the dominant metaphors of organizations (Barley, 1983), the ways in which "physical humor" contributes to the meanings employees attach to work (Boland & Hoffman, 1983), and the impact that change in physical environment has on the taken-far-granted assumptions of a culture and on patterns of com­ munication (Wilkins, 1989). Although the essay does not provide as extensive an analysis as Rosen's (1985) classic study of the ways in which organizational power relationships are simultaneously revealed and reinforced by physical displays, it establishes a potentially productive direction for communication scholars. Second, presenting the softball team as a representative anecdote (Burke, 1945a) of the organization's overall culture, Goodall raises important questions about how researchers should grapple with organizational actors' simultaneous

Journal

Annals of the International Communication Association – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jan 1, 1990

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