New book: Ethnography at work

New book by Professor Brian Moeran (Dept. of Intercultural Communication and Management). The book follows the experiences of the author as a participant observer in the day-to-day running of a Japanese advertising agency.

Professor and Anthropologist Brian Moeran (Dept. of Intercultural Communication and Management) is the author of this new book from Berg Publishers. The book reveals the intricate behind-the-scenes planning, discussion, negotiations and strategies needed to ensure that the agency's presentation to a potential client will be preferred over that of a rival firm.

These days ethnography has become quite a buzzword in marketing and management circles. It is being hailed as the new tool to be used to gain access to consumers, and - as Brian Moeran points out in his new book - as a methodology that should be put into practice by anyone intent on successful management. But what is ethnography exactly? How does it work? And what are its advantages over other methods used by business school academics? These are the questions that 'Ethnography at Work' sets out to answer by means of an exemplary case study of preparations for an advertising campaign.

The book shows how detailed ethnography can lead to an understanding of numerous different, but interlocking, theoretical issues. It demonstrates how ethnography can travel beyond the academic realm and be used by business personnel to heighten their understanding of their companies' organizational structures, strategies and daily work practices. Asking crucial questions about the role of the anthropologist in the field, 'Ethnography at Work' introduces students to ways in which anthropologists study social systems in business.

From reviews

"In this book, anthropologist Brian Moeran takes on the hallowed institution of the 'business school case study'. He demonstrates how detailed ethnographic research can extend the explanatory range of traditional, descriptive business cases. Moeran leaves us with the tantalizing illusion that we might become better at our own businesses if we learned more about how anthropologists conduct theirs. I am sure that new opportunities will abound for those who adopt his methods."

Richard Francis, Director, Francis Developments Sàrl, and President, Australian Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry