Search results for "Social construction"

Leadership Manipulation and Ethics in Storytelling

2012

This article focuses on exerting influence in leadership, namely manipulation in storytelling. Manipulation is usually considered an unethical approach to leadership. We will argue that manipulation is a more complex phenomenon than just an unethical way of acting in leadership. We will demonstrate through an empirical qualitative study that there are various types of manipulation through storytelling. This article makes a contribution to the literature on manipulation through leadership storytelling, offering a more systematic empirical analysis and a more nuanced view of the topic than previously existed by outlining how managers engage in manipulative storytelling and what kind of ethics…

Legitimacy and relevance of a performance measurement system in a Finnish public-sector case

2019

Purpose This study investigates the difficulties involved in translating stakeholder expectations into action and maintaining legitimacy through the use of a performance measurement system (PMS) created in a Finnish regional development company (RDC). This longitudinal case study illustrates the fluctuating and socially constructed nature of legitimacy in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative case study longitudinally analyzes the various developments occurring during and after the development of a PMS system for the case organization. Empirical data include interviews, workshops, observation and other materials relating to the case organization. Findings The init…

Diversity and Social Interaction at Work

2019

Today’s workplaces are characterized by interactions among people with diverse backgrounds. These interactions may occur face-to-face or in technology-mediated settings; as interpersonal exchanges between co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates or between business partners and clients; in small groups and teams or as one-off encounters with customers. The persons engaged in these interactions jointly strive for the shared goals of their organization though they may come from different countries, speak different first languages, or identify with different ethnic, gender, or age groups. This chapter explores the role of diversity in different workplace contexts and situations. First, we unp…

Deconstruction and hermeneutical space as keys to understanding the rural

2020

The purpose of this article is to complement the existing literature on defining the rural by suggesting a novel approach that makes possible a holistic understanding of the rural. The proposed approach is based on deconstruction of the concept of the rural and on hermeneutical philosophy. The current approaches applied in rural studies are evaluated through the lens of holistic understanding, and solutions to the observed problems are discussed. The problems of current rural studies stem from inadequate conceptualization and biased social theory. The conceptual problems can be alleviated, firstly, by understanding the concept of space not only literally but also figuratively. Secondly, the…

Feminist Perspectives on Teaching Masculinities

2019

The chapter discusses the positive public role of gay and queer masculinities in their intersection with other identity configurations (class, race, and able-bodiedness). It presents an overview of the main perspectives on social construction and representation of homosexual masculinities within educational and academic settings using critical masculinities theory. While challenging homonormativity in research and education representations of the ‘rational man’ and ‘macho ethics’ of male researchers who ‘discover’, ‘conquer’ investigate ‘systematically’ or ‘rigorously’ are analyzed. Criticizing the play of inexpressiveness and emotionlessness objectivity as criterion of academic writing, re…

Howard S. Becker e gli “approcci moderni” nello studio dei problemi sociali

2018

The article discusses the intellectual biography of sociologist Howard S. Becker taking into account his contribution to the sociological study of social problems. Becker believes in the possibility of an objective study of the properties of social problems. However he admits that the objective properties of a phenomenon are neither sufficient nor necessary to define something as a “social problem”.

Asthma - The Construction of the Masculine Body

1994

This article focuses on understanding the social construction of male identity in Finland in the 1960s and 1970s. Sporting experiences of the author are used as material for memory-work (Erinnerungsarbeit), the key experience here being illness (Asthma). By writing through it, the author thematizes the healthy, sporting, and disciplined body inscribed in hegemonic masculinity.

Environmental conflict as a social construction: Nuclear waste conflicts in Finland

1996

Environmental conflicts are a familiar phenomenon in all industrial societies, and social scientists have produced a great number of studies of different environmental conflicts. One conventional way to conceptualize them is known as NIMBY ("not in my backyard"). Although the recent NIMBY literature has revealed the complexity of the issue, the approach continues to be beset by a number of problems. It has been difficult to conceptualize the dynamic character of a conflict from this perspective. This paper suggests that the theory of environmental conflicts should shift in an epistemological and social interactionist direction, toward social constructionist theory. This paper offers a const…

Narratiivinen johtajuus : tutkielmia johtajuuden tarinankerronnan tutkimuksesta ja käytännöstä

2013

Authenticity in Extra-curricular Mathematics Activities: Researching Authenticity as a Social Construct

2015

In this chapter I study authentic aspects in mathematics education, in particular with respect to mathematical modelling. I define ‘authenticity’ as a social construct, building on the French sociologist Emile Durkheim. For an aspect to be authentic, it needs to have: (1) an out-of-school origin and (2) a certification of originality. The study validates this definition, asking: what authentic aspects can be identified within mathematics education? Data were collected from the excursion Railway Timetable Dynamics. During the excursion secondary school students were exposed to research carried out by university mathematicians on behalf of the National Railway Company. The authentic aspects w…