The power of professionally situated practice analysis in redesigning organisations: A psychosociological approach

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to provoke thoughts around the possibility of using the lever of practices and situated knowledge to trigger organisational change and to redesign it with the involvement of the whole organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents connections between a psychosociological approach and a practice‐based approach. The use of ethnomethodology is offered as a way to detect situated practice and meaning at works.

Findings

This contribution underlines how change and learning in organisations can find support in investing in local knowledge and in detecting and reflecting around the living practices of daily activities. Knowing in practice requires the involvement and continuous work of connecting among individuals, groups, organisations and institutions in situated contexts. The paper shows how strategic a process this is, presenting a way to work on situated data.

Practical implications

The paper represents a way to work on organisational change grounded on action research.

Originality/value

The paper combines a psychological perspective within the field of practice‐based studies and sustains a specific ethnographic method to create organisational areas of reflexivity.

Citation

Scaratti, G., Gorli, M. and Ripamonti, S. (2009), "The power of professionally situated practice analysis in redesigning organisations: A psychosociological approach", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 21 No. 7, pp. 538-554. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665620910985531