Performing hackathons as a way of positioning boundary organizations
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare two boundary organizations situated in Malmö (Sweden) and oriented toward opening production. Particularly, it looks at how the two organizations tried to establish and communicate their boundaries during their official opening events, which were structured according to the format of hackathon.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted an ethnographic approach and followed the two events, observing and interacting with organizers and participants. The findings reported here draw upon data collected through direct observation, the authors’ experience as participants, unstructured conversations, e-mail exchanges.
Findings
This paper analyzes the two events in order to show how different cultures of opening production lead to different ways of performing hackathons and, consequently, how these events affect the process of establishing and communicating the organizational boundaries.
Originality/value
The paper looks at the potential of events structured according to the format of hackathon as a way for boundary organizations to position themselves.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the reviewers, their supervisors, the organizers and the participants to Fabriken and Connectivity Lab Hackathons. The authors are both affiliated to the research center MEDEA. Anna Seravalli financing has been partially covered by the same project funding Fabriken and Connectivity Lab.
Citation
Seravalli, A. and Simeone, L. (2016), "Performing hackathons as a way of positioning boundary organizations", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 326-343. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-04-2013-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited