Ethnography of Corporate Culture

Section 3:
Participant Observation – James P. Spradley
Step 3 – Making an Ethnographic Record
Step 4 – Making Descriptive Observations
Cultures and Organizations – Geery Hofstede & Gert Jan Hofstede
Chapter 5 – He, She, and (S)he
Chapter 6 – What is Different is Dangerous
Please read Steps 3 and 4 in your Primary Text (PO) and Chapters 5 and 6 (CO).
Assignment 6
Making an Ethnographic Record
There are many ways of writing a good ethnographic/field research paper. This is step three of a 12 step
process, outlined by Spradley, that will lead you to your final project for this course: Your Written
Ethnography. Following the 12 steps outlined in this course will give you an introduction to several of the
components of en ethnographic paper to ensure that your readers understand what you are doing and that you
are doing justice to the information your participants provided. Before you start writing ask yourself: Who is
my audience? Who do I want to read this? What do I want them to get out of this? What position am I going
to take? Do I want to be distanced (3rd Person) or do I want to be more involved (1st person). Enjoy this
project. You will find that this will prove to be a great learning experience when you begin you Doctoral
Project.
Read carefully Step 3 complete the tasks as required and submit your work. Contact your Mentor if you need
some ideas on this activity.
Submit your task list, field notes and observations as an assignment outlining specific finding for inclusion
into your final project. Explain your activities and what significance you completed in this activity for your
final project. Make sure there are plenty of detailed field notes available within your selected tasks to
formulate some conclusive commentary for your research project and presentation. As part of your Step 3
process comment to date on any readings from the CO text book and the applicability of the topics covered
especially in applications to the dimensional characteristics reviewed. Expand on the subject of organization
culture and how you will investigate and comment upon that in your research mission.
Assignment Outcomes
Explain how to select best qualitative research method for situation analysis
Determine most effective domain analysis for ethnographic research