The Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism  SCOS XX

Speed: Research and Representation in the Age of Instantaneous
Organization

10th-13th July 2002

Budapest, Hungary

Speed... is of the essence, or so we are endlessly told. Nearly one
hundred  years since Marinetti announced ... 'that the world's
magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed', we
remain in its thrall.  Not just the 'powerful mechanical beasts' that so
enamoured Marinetti, but also the 'instantaneous' transmission of more
ephemeral  'information'.
For speed is never satisfied, acceleration is integral. From fast-cycle
resourcing to just in time, from compressed development to shorter
product life cycles, our innovatory call is faster, faster. We need the
new, new thing and we need it NOW! Where do you want to go today?

Well, why not go to Budapest? Take some time to consider the compression
of time and space on your journey. You could maybe ponder what is
happening to your consciousness into the bargain. Is it becoming more
fragmented, excessively rationalised, alienated even? What do the
philosophers and social theorists have to say about this? Cite Benjamin,
Bergson and Bauman. Refer to Giddens, Harvey... Virilio, Weber and
Zizek. And what's going on under your feet to nations, political systems
and the global economy as you speed through space in an insulated metal
box? Let alone `under your feet', what about the plethora of
electromagnetic signals that are passing invisibly through your body as
you sit there? What is such ubiquitous mass-mediation doing to you, to
`us' or to the organisations and cultures of which we form a `networked'
part? And what of the many people, attitudes, places and things that are
`othered' in the feverish pursuit of speed? So many things to think
about as you sit there consuming your pre-packed, microwaved in-flight
food (at least it's quick and convenient, even if it does give you
indigestion).

Come to the conference, give your paper, listen to others, view the city
(or at least the important bits that we've selected to show you on our
whistle-stop tour), and fly out again. Pack more in. Time is of the
essence. If you can afford to create some space in your busy schedule,
write an  abstract and send it to us (see below for details). Keep it
brief. We're busy. What are you waiting for?


Executive Summary (This one has bullet points)

SCOS XX invites interdisciplinary empirical, methodological or
theoretical contributions addressing the phenomenon of `speed and
organisation'. Recommendations. Possible themes might include the
following (the list is intended to be suggestive only and we welcome
creative interpretations of the conference title):

Speed and the VIRTUAL or CYBORGANISATION
The GENDERING of speed in organisations
Speed and CONSUMPTION
PHILOSOPHIES of speed
HISTORIES of speed
ANTHROPOLOGIES of speed
SOCIOLOGIES of speed
GEOGRAPHIES of speed
Speed and POSTMODERNITY
Speed and MODERNITY
`Speed' and PREMODERNITY
Speed and GLOBALISATION
The ETHICS of speed
The POLITICS of speed
COMIC or TRAGIC aspects of speed
The AESTHETICS of speed (just think of Glenn Gould)
Organisational AMPHETAMINES
The RHETORIC of speed
CULTURES of rapid CHANGE and
TRANSFORMATION
Fast moving MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
Technologies and METHODS of rapid research
Organisation by `bullet point'



Open Stream

The SCOS Annual Conference is intended as a forum where the latest
developments in research on Organisational Culture and Symbolism may be
presented, regardless of their direct relevance to the conference theme,
and an Open Stream is set aside for this purpose. Papers are invited on
any aspect of theory, methodology, fieldwork, interventions or themes
which are of continuing interest to the SCOS community.

Workshops

We welcome suggestions for workshops, performances or similar events as
well as traditional paper presentations. Outlines of proposed workshops
should be not less than the length of a paper abstract and should
clearly indicate the resources required, number of participants
accommodated, time required, the approach to be taken, and the
objectives of the session.

Abstracts

Abstracts of up to 500 words (who has time to write more?) should be
submitted by Friday 30th November 2001 to:

Email: [log in to unmask]

Please send abstracts in MS Word97 or Rich Text format.

Snail mail: Peter Case

SCOS XX
Business School
Oxford Brookes University
Wheatley
Oxford OX33 1HX
UK


For inclusion in published proceedings, full papers should be submitted
no later than Monday 22nd April 2002 (acceptance will be notified by
mid-January 2002).

Conference organisers: Peter Case, Oxford Brookes University; Simon
Lilley, University of Keele; Tom Owens, International Business School,
Budapest.

URL: http://www.scos.org/conference2002/index.htm

************************************************************************************
Distributed through Cyber-Society-Live [CSL]: CSL is a moderated discussion
list made up of people who are interested in the interdisciplinary academic
study of Cyber Society in all its manifestations.To join the list please visit:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/cyber-society-live.html
*************************************************************************************