The Spatial Construction of Organization

Abstract

An important challenge to organization theory is to search for constructs that explain how contexts for work emerge, evolve, persist and change. This book explores the concept of "space" as representing a wide variety of contexts. Organization as a process, as distinguished from organization as an entity, is seen as the construction of space, where space is the outcome of human action and interaction as well as providing a context for actions and interaction. The book shows how different forms of space lie at the base of a number of developments in organization theory. It then takes the step to show how contemporary developments in social science represented by works by writers such as Giddens, Luhmann, Latour and Bourdieu can be used to establish a dynamic understanding of organization as space. Insights from these discussions are used to establish a unique and coherent way of understanding complexities of modern organization.

Introduction: The Spatial Turn in Organizational Studies

“…The field of study is, in fact, vast. Along with other organizational studies scholars (Hernes 2004, Clegg and Kornberger 2006, Dale and Burrell 2008, we find spatial aspects in organizations of great academic and practical interest and think that they call for greater attention.…”

“…Although this focus was eclipsed in the 1970s by more behaviouralist work, it enjoyed something of a comeback with the burst of attention to organizational culture(s) in the 1980s and 1990s (for example, Steele 1981, Gagliardi 1990, Hatch 1990, Rosen et al 1990, Nauta 1991, F. Becker and Steele 1995, Yanow 1998, Strati 1999. In recent years the material aspects of organizational life have been enjoying a particular resurgence of attention, especially in cultural terms (for example, Hernes 2004, Kornberger and Clegg 2004, Binder and Hellstrom 2005, Rafaeli and Pratt 2006, Dale and Burrell 2008; on material objects specifically, see Orlikowski 2007), with many calling for space and other dimensions of the material world to be brought back into organizational theorizing.…”

Organizational Responses to Institutional Pressures: Reconfiguration of Spaces in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies

“…Physical space encompasses two elements (Hernes, 2003(Hernes, , 2004a(Hernes, , 2004b. First, it characterizes the structure, i.e., the material entities with which individuals interact, such as buildings and equipment.…”

“…Hernes (2003Hernes ( , 2004aHernes ( , 2004b argues that every organization is constituted of physical, mental and social spaces. First, physical space describes the infrastructure and equipment, formal rules and role structure within the organization, i.e., the formal structure of organizations (Meyer & Rowan, 1977).…”

Collaboration in open-plan offices

“…In the past fifteen years, interest in physical work environments has grown, with the publication of several books within the organisational behaviour and organisational studies fields (Clegg & Kornberger, 2006;Dale & Burrell, 2008;Hernes, 2004;Van Marrewijk & Yanow, 2010). Researchers have imported theoretical perspectives from outside of organisational behaviour, and have begun to produce richer and more complex accounts of the physical work environments by focusing on issues such as identity and power (Dale, 2005;Elsbach, 2003Elsbach, , 2004Hirst, 2011).…”