From: Critical Perspectives on Work, Management and Organization
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Vladimir Diatlov
Sent: 03 June 2004 17:55
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Call for Abstracts: IT, the Organization, and Postmodernity
Stream at the Critical Management Studies Conference 2005


Dear Colleagues,

Given that this stream joined several developments, colleagues of
organizational studies, critical IS research, power studies, and social
studies of technology -- all are welcome.

"Postmodernity" is an umbrella word for a range of effects (some of them are
well-known from long ago) that arise when organizations deal with new
choices and complexities of high technologies.  What of our work comprises
"postmodern" and how this distinction is useful -- are subjects on the
discussion table.  Here we are.


4th International Critical Management Studies Conference
4th-6th July 2005, Cambridge University, UK

Call for Abstracts (as for now)

Stream Title:  IT AND POSTMODERNITY FOR ORGANISATIONs AND SYSTEMs

Our aim is to provide space for scholars of technology, information systems,
and the organisation who would like to build upon the advance of today's
organisational studies, consider which distinctive advantages we can claim,
and make our work more approachable and commensurable for practice and for
us as a research field.

Use of information technology demands evermore knowledge, cognitive
abilities, work relations and effort.  Gains from technology become
proportional to quality and exploitation of human resources.  As a result
the workplace bears tension and stress.  But is IT helpful as expected?
Does it facilitate mobility, information freedom and other postmodernity
benefits?  Problems with new complexity level and fragmented activity are
clear already.  Do you remember that bank clerk who put aside your paperwork
and engaged with another customer because their goal is reduction of queue
waiting time and their systems are incomprehensible?

Postmodern theory is developed in organisation studies and sociology, but
postmodern phenomena are driven by high technologies.  Naturally,
observations of organisational change and ideas of postmodern theory should
be brought back to study of technology and information systems.
Understandings of what postmodernity is come from critical studies,
phenomenology, complexity discipline, research into mobility and globality -
all approaches are welcome.

We invite empirically grounded and conceptual papers that develop
frameworks, bring technological nuance and demonstrate new insight from
seemingly well-studied business practice.  The following issue areas are
indications, not limits:-

1. Postmodern theory, IS fundamentals and methodology advance:  Analysis of
how organisational/professional discourses affect use of technology and how
technological discourses affect the organisation (like "semantic web,"
"information architecture" or "e-science"). Consumption analysis;
textual/content analysis and its application in IS design including
notations; decomposition/deconstruction analysis; links between content and
context (like institutional) and their role in knowledge; actual metaphors
in scientific methods (like complexity), Autopoiesis and change in substance
of the organisation under impact of high technology.

2. Technology-driven critical issues: change of industry structures,
business models and products; practices of dealing with complication,
ubiquity, agility, ambience and proliferation of technology (like multiple
levels of end-user support or ownership of software development by business
units); implications for the workplace (like activity fragmentation,
distributed and mediated participation or use of new media/virtual
artefacts); procedurisation of innovation; meaning and utility of management
standards and modelling (like ISO, UML or system dynamics); sophistication
of managerial control and automation of physical control upon time, space
and information access/communication.

3. Empowerment stands out as an important but slowed down discussion:
politics of technological change; power redistribution if any, why
capabilities and opportunities enabled with technology do and do not
empower; and what kinds of power would make the postmodern organisation most
productive, be it a network, federation or guild?

We aim to provide reviews of value to authors who are welcome from all
stages of their research careers and to develop a journal special issue.
We welcome alternatives, panel discussion proposals and innovative use of
time.

Convenors (by last name):
Pratyush Bharati, College of Management, University of Massachusetts at
Boston
*Vladimir Diatlov, School of Management, University of Southampton
*Anita Greenhill, Manchester School of Management, UMIST
John Haynes, College of Business Administration, University of Central
Florida
Lynette Kvasny, School of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State
University
Damian O'Doherty, Manchester School of Management, UMIST
Duane Truex, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

*Corresponding convenors

Timeline:

Extended abstracts/proposals to the convenors   1 October 2004
Feedback to authors                             1 December 2004
Full papers to the convenors                    1 April 2005


Instructions to authors (for extended abstracts/proposals):
               
Submissions in Word (doc or rtf formats)
Font: Arial
Maximum Length: 1500 Words
Including:      Title, Authors (affiliation, contact details), Body of Text,
References

Submissions should be sent by e-mail to [log in to unmask] with a copy
to [log in to unmask]


Sincere Regards,


Vladimir Diatlov
School of Management, University of Southampton

Building 2, Highfield
Southampton, SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom

Office: +44 (0)23 8059 7995
Fax: +44 (0)23 8059 3844
Mobile: +44 (0)7960 465991

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