Hi Steven,

Reflexivity is indeed important but not simply on the basis of
neo-colonialist theory (as per the Banerjee & Linstead 2004 critique of our
AMJ 2000 article).  Reflexivity in anthropology (which also fits with
indigenous cultural ways) is also about disclosing the self in intimate
terms.  See our forthcoming response to B&L which talks about this in some
depth.

Thanks for your other suggestions. Look forward to hearing more about your
indigenous organizing -- are you doing field research?

Best, Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: Aesthetics, Creativity, and Organisations Research Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steven Finlay
Sent: maandag 31 januari 2005 21:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Indigenous Wisdom and Multiple Ways of Knowing in
Organizational Life

Hi from New Zealand,

Following the invitation to AACORNers whose work might overlap: 

My name is Steven Finlay and I am currently finishing a PhD thesis entitled 
"Indigenous organising" where I use Clegg and Hardy's (1996) frameworks of 
analysis to explore notions of 'indigenous organising' in two cases and
contexts:
one is a Maori wananga (university) in the ART confederation, and the other
is 
a 'Celtic' Scottish community on Iona, Scotland. 

The PhD explores how indigenous knowledge is recovered and enacted across
three levels of analysis: the individual; the organisational; all in
relation to historic and current social contexts. I also ethnographically
explore how indigenous epistemologies are enacted to (amongst other things)
overcome Globalising fragmentations, and instead build positive indigenous
identity and encourage community connectedness and development.

As part of this I explore how they emically define and enact indigenous in
each context.

Whilst each case certainly does contain a profound sense of connectedness to
their own land, and to each other, 
the dynamics of 'leadership' in each case is not aimed at this alone, since
their own internally defined organisational
aims and purposes are expansive and interwoven with what Berger and Luckmann
(1966) call canopies of universe maintenance, that is they indexically draw
from and reflexively co - construct the worlds that they relate to. 

Whilst I consider these areas of exploration vital and profoundly important,
I also am aware of the tensions inherent 
in claiming knowledge commensurability between 'indigenous' practice and so
called 'mainstream' organisational life, 
points very well made in the following:
  
Banerjee, S. B. and S. Linstead (2004). "Masking subversion:Neocolonial
embeddedness in anthropological accounts of indigenous management." Human
Relations 57(2): 221 -247.

Banerjee, S. B. (2000). Whose mine is it anyway? National interest,
indigenous stakeholders and colonial discourses: The case of the Jabiluka
uranium mine. Critical Management Conference Paper, Manchester.
        	
Whilst indigenous knowledge and practice has been profoundly overlooked in
O.S. Banerjee and Linstead (amongst others) call for theorising indigeneity
which takes a position of reflexivity, accounting for the multiple power
dynamics traditionally glossed between researcher and researched, especially
when researching with indigenous communities, a point also made by Smith
(Smith, L. (1999). Decolonizing methodologies. London, Zed Books.)

Linda Smith proposes a Kaupapa Maori research approach which seeks to
redress these researcher-subject imbalances that have been historically
present in many other disciplines, not least anthropology (Wolfe, P. (1999).
Settler colonialism and the transformation of anthropology. London,
Cassell).This apprach also interrogates the research aims and goals viz, who
is the researcher? What is the purpose of the research? Does it bring any
benefits to indigenous communities?  A position of reflexivity such as this
might suggest dialogues between researcher and cases, where phenomena (in
this case indigenous knowledge) can be explored as to how they relate in
context.

One element in the PhD research that has been intriguing for me is how much
of my own background and Celtic knowledge I have discovered whilst being in
'korero' (conversation) with Maori co- researchers.      

Food for thought for your chapter? 

Kind regards,

Steven Finlay
PhD Scholarship Student
CANZ Senior Research Assistant
Victoria Management School
[log in to unmask]


         

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 11:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Indigenous Wisdom and Multiple Ways of Knowing in
Organizational Life


Hi Laura,

I think the idea of learning from Indigenous peoples approaches is a
wonderful one.  I would definitely be interested in working with you on
this.  I have done a lot of research on indigenous approaches to management,
and it seems essential that indigenous ways also are intrinsically linked to
local ecology.  I think this fundamental dimension could also be
incorporated into your outline. 

You might want to take a look at the following articles to see where I'm
coming from (in particular the recent JMI using a semi-fictional creative
narrative to explore what organizational theory and practice can learn from
traditional indigenous knowledge; the AMJ is an empirical piece that comes
up with the grounded theory concept of ecological embeddeness management).
I've attached the AMJ because I have it on pdf.  I only have an earlier
version (not the final copyedited one) of the JMI paper -- let me know if
you can't access it.  

I was really glad to see your post!  I look forward to hearing from other
AACORNers to see who else's work overlaps (David C?!)

Related work:

Whiteman, G. 2004. "Why are we talking inside? Reflecting on Traditional
Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and management research".  Journal of Management
Inquiry 13: 261-277.

Whiteman, G, and Cooper, W. H. 2000.  "Ecological embeddedness." Academy of
Management Journal, 43: 1265-1282.

Best, Gail

NB: I have quite a few other publications related to Indigenous peoples and
organizations, but see what you think of the above and how it may relate to
your idea for the chapter.

-----Original Message-----
From: Aesthetics, Creativity, and Organisations Research Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Brearley
Sent: maandag 31 januari 2005 8:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Indigenous Wisdom and Multiple Ways of Knowing in Organizational
Life

Hi Folks
This email has three purposes. Firstly, it is a response to David's and
Hans' invitation to contribute something to the New Approaches to
Management and Organization Publication.

Secondly it also serves as a response to Hilde's email requesting ideas
for the new Master in Strategic Innovation, Leadership and Knowledge
Creation.

Thirdly, it is a request to see who of my AACORN colleagues is also
interested in working with Indigenous wisdom and creative ways of
knowing in their organizational research - (I know, for example, David
Cowan is doing wonderful work in his leadership classes in Ohio, and has
written very powerfully on the topic.)

The attachment is called
'Beneath, Between and Beyond Structure: Incorporating Indigenous Wisdom
and Multiple Ways of Knowing into Organizational Life.'

Wishing you all well
Laura


Dr Laura Brearley
Senior Lecturer
School of Education
RMIT University
Bundoora West Campus
Tel: 613 9925 7923
Fax: 613 9925 7586
Email: [log in to unmask]
Location: 220 : 2 : 18
Postal address: PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3083