Exploring organizational architecture and space: a case for heterodox research
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
ISSN: 1934-8835
Article publication date: 9 March 2012
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance the methodological self‐understanding of the emerging field of organizational space and architecture by employing concepts and frameworks from multi‐paradigm and mixed methods research.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a methodological re‐reading of a recent research process that analyzed the spatial and architectural dynamics in a Finnish university organization.
Findings
While the analysis of architectural meanings is often grounded in researcher‐participants auto‐ethnographic experiences, triangulating personal insights with other methods is important for the validity and richness of the subsequent description of spatial dynamics and its outcomes. Especially, the incorporation of architectural visions and representations into the analysis is argued to enhance our understanding of the emergence of particular social‐material collectives.
Originality/value
Although there is a steady stream of empirical studies on the meanings of organizational space and architecture, rigorous accounts of the methodological challenges of spatial analyses have so far been scarce. This paper aims to partially fill this gap.
Keywords
Citation
Peltonen, T. (2012), "Exploring organizational architecture and space: a case for heterodox research", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 68-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/19348831211215669
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited