Session 3a (morning):

In session 3a and 3b, we will encounter some of the key approaches that dominate current issues of top journals. It is important that you are up to date with these as their mastery is essential for participants having ambitions to publish – and that should be all of you!

This session concentrates on some key substantive areas of recent scholarship such as 'space', 'time', 'power' and 'intersectionality'. These substantive themes cut across almost all areas of empirical enquiry – whatever settings and puzzles you are investigating they will be located in space, time, power relations and constitutions of identity characterized by cultures and innovations.

Pick one or other of the following key terms and research its contemporary contours:

• Organizations as communication
• Sensemaking
• Process perspectives
• Social systems theory
• Discourse analysis

Or

Outline what you take to be the central arguments of any two of the following theories and compare and contrast them:

• Institutional Theory
• Actor Network Theory (ANT)
• Practice Theory (including strategy-as-practice)
• Paradox approaches
• Process approaches

In your understanding:

1. What are the specific strengths and weaknesses of the theory you have chosen?
2. What kinds of questions is it best able to address?
3. What methods seem most suited to researching these questions?
4. Why is the topic important for analysis of projects, management and organizations?
5. What are some of the most significant ways in which it has been researched?
6. Highlight the qualitative research methods used. With respect to your own research interests in project management how might you study it?

It is assumed that your research will have familiarized you with current work.

Session 3b (afternoon)

From your reading, analyse the ways in which concepts of one or more of the following can frame organizational and project action and identity, using explicitly theoretical resources to do so, paying attention to qualitative approaches.
 

• Space
• Time
• Power
• Intersectionality
• Culture
• Innovation

Reference should be made to relatively current quality journal articles.

You will individually write up as per the requirements of Assessment
Task 3.

Session 4:

The participants in the workshop will also keep and submit with their last piece of work, a learning journal, in which they will record what they have read and learnt, as well as  issues and questions that it has raised for them. For some idea of what this might entail read C. W. Mills’ (1959) Appendix on Intellectual Craftsmanship: https://www.miguelangelmartinez.net/IMG/pdf/1959_Mills_on_intellctual_craftmanship.pdf

Issues and questions raised will provide material for discussion in the final workshop

If intrigued by Mills’ ideas,  there are many references to it in the subsequent literature: see https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=C.+W.+Mills%E2%80%99+%281959%29+Appendix+on+Intellectual+Caftsmanship&btnG=

The final session will be a chance for a reflective glance back at what has been discussed and ways to think about future projects.

Expected Conduct:

It is every student's responsibility to behave in accordance with the values and principles of mutual ­respect between staff, students and the University – see the Student Charter. This entails respecting all members of our diverse community and racism, sexism, ageism, dishonesty or defamation will not be tolerated, and instances will be reported to the authorities.