Davide Nicolini: Macro social phenomena from a practice-based perspective

Conférence donnée en anglais
Presentation in English
Apportez votre lunch, café et jus seront servis!Résumé/Abstract

In my presentation I will discuss some of the theoretical and methodological implications of utilising a practice-based sensitivity to address big issues and ‘large scale’ or ‘macro’ (social) phenomena. This is of importance because practice-based sensitivities are often pigeonholed as part of micro-sociology and therefore deemed unsuitable to deal with some of the big issues of our time. I will start by discussing how practice-based approaches helps to undermine the very idea of ‘macro phenomena’ and reject this Euclidean way of thinking in terms of size and levels of reality substituting it with notions such as pervasiveness and global presence.  I will then examine some of the ways in which practice oriented scholars address large phenomena and the connection between practices and explore some of their affordances and limitation. I will conclude by examining some of the practical implications of moving from studying the local to understanding what is translocal.

Author’s bio

Davide Nicolini is Professor of Organization Studies at Warwick Business School where he co-directs the IKON Research Centre and facilitates the Practice, Process and Institution Research Programme. In the past he has held positions and visiting appointments at the University of Oslo, The Tavistock Institute in London, ESADE Barcelona and the University of Trento and Bergamo in Italy. His current research focuses on the theoretical and methodological development of practice-based approaches and their application to phenomena such as expert knowing, attention, collaboration and technological innovation in organizations. Although most of his empirical work is carried out in healthcare organisations, he also studied construction sites, factories, public organizations, cybersecurity, pharmacies, scientific labs and the work of CEOs.

Cette conférence est organisée conjointement avec la Chaire en gestion stratégique en contexte pluraliste.