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Full-Text Articles in Other Sociology
High-Tech Environments: To Boldly Go, Dariusz Jemielniak, Abigail Marks
High-Tech Environments: To Boldly Go, Dariusz Jemielniak, Abigail Marks
Dariusz Jemielniak
No abstract provided.
Temporal And Spatial Shifts Within Playful Work, Carolyn Hunter, Dariusz Jemielniak, Agnieszka Postuła
Temporal And Spatial Shifts Within Playful Work, Carolyn Hunter, Dariusz Jemielniak, Agnieszka Postuła
Dariusz Jemielniak
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a qualitative study of software engineers' playful behaviors at work. Design/methodology/approach – The interviewed software engineers come from two European and three American companies. The research is based on ethnographical data, gathered in two longitudinal studies2005-2008 . The methods used in the study include open-ended unstructured interviews, participant observations, stories collection, and shadowings. Findings – It is found that the currently dominant theory of normative control explaining software engineers workplace diminishes leisure and entertainment attributes of knowledge work. Fun at workplace is discovered to be an important, …
Time As Symbolic Currency In Knowledge Work, Dariusz Jemielniak
Time As Symbolic Currency In Knowledge Work, Dariusz Jemielniak
Dariusz Jemielniak
The paper discusses the issue of time slips in software development. Increasing time sacrifices toward work constitutes an important part of modern organizational environment. In fact, the reign over time is a crucial element in controlling the labor process. Yet a lack of cultural studies covering different approaches to this issue remains—particularly those focusing on high-skilled salaried workers. This article is a small attempt to fill this gap, based on an analysis of unstructured qualitative interviews with high-tech professionals from a B2B software company. It focuses on the issue of timing in IT projects, as perceived by software engineers. The …
Knowledge Management: Fad Or Enduring Organizational Concept?, Dariusz Jemielniak, Jerzy Kociatkiewicz
Knowledge Management: Fad Or Enduring Organizational Concept?, Dariusz Jemielniak, Jerzy Kociatkiewicz
Dariusz Jemielniak
Knowledge management and knowledge-intensive work are two of today’s hot buzzwords, though both already have a history of managerial usage. While some authors claim that knowledge is the most important organizational asset in contemporary society, others retort that much of knowledge management literature and practical solutions are just perfunctory and propagandist and many, if not most, managerial polices rely on manipulation of emotions and identity creation. This chapter aims to capitalize on this fascinating and timely research area. We want to present the current business fad of knowledge-management in terms of excess and forgetful repetition of ideas. We look at …
Little Johnny And The Wizard Of Os: The Pc User As A Fool Hero, Dariusz Jemielniak
Little Johnny And The Wizard Of Os: The Pc User As A Fool Hero, Dariusz Jemielniak
Dariusz Jemielniak
This chapter is an attempt to analyze the social perception of a computer user as a fool in the eyes of IT support professionals. It relies on a storytelling analysis of anecdotes and horror stories of really stupid users, shared by IT support people on the Internet fora.
Software Engineers Or Artists? Programmers’ Identity Choices, Dariusz Jemielniak
Software Engineers Or Artists? Programmers’ Identity Choices, Dariusz Jemielniak
Dariusz Jemielniak
This paper explores how assigning software developers the identity of “engineers” metes out specific assumptions about IT projects. To this end, the paper describes an alternative metaphor of programming as art, which is commonly used by the programmers interviewed. In addition, the discussion draws conclusions from the discrepancies between the two views as well as from the proposed metaphor, explaining organizational reluctance to aesthetical vocabulary. This paper discusses occupational identity—emphasizing the identity of programmers—using qualitative research methods. As such, it enriches the literature currently available on this profession.
Sources Of Uncertainty In Project Management: A “Real Life” Account, Dominika Latusek, Dariusz Jemielniak
Sources Of Uncertainty In Project Management: A “Real Life” Account, Dominika Latusek, Dariusz Jemielniak
Dariusz Jemielniak
Although the studies of IT project management abound, they rarely present in one study the perspective of both the customers and the providers. The very relation between customers and provides has been rather rarely explored (Latusek and Jemielniak, 2007). It may be partially due to the fact that usually neither clients, nor providers, are willing to let outsiders into the details of the project. Through this paper we want to take advantage of our unique research setting in which we were allowed to interview representatives of both parties. Through presenting their stories we wish to cast light on the actual …
Managers As Lazy, Stupid Careerists? Contestation And Stereotypes Among Software Engineers, Dariusz Jemielniak
Managers As Lazy, Stupid Careerists? Contestation And Stereotypes Among Software Engineers, Dariusz Jemielniak
Dariusz Jemielniak
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a qualitative study of software engineers' perception of dress code, career, organizations, and of managers. Design/methodology/approach – The software engineers interviewed work in three European and two US companies. The research is based on ethnographic data, gathered in two longitudinal studies during the period2001-2006 . The methods used in the study include open-ended unstructured interviews, participant observation, collection of stories, and shadowing. Findings – It was found that the majority of software engineers denounce formal dress-codes. The notion of career was defined by them mostly in terms …
(Dis)Trust In Software Projects: A Thrice Told Tale: On Dynamic Relationships Between Software Engineers, It Project Managers, And Customers, Dariusz Jemielniak, Dominika Latusek
(Dis)Trust In Software Projects: A Thrice Told Tale: On Dynamic Relationships Between Software Engineers, It Project Managers, And Customers, Dariusz Jemielniak, Dominika Latusek
Dariusz Jemielniak
Software development traditionally has been a field particularly prone to delays, exceeding budgets, and misunderstandings (May 1998; Connel, 2001; Humphrey, 2002; Goodwin, 2002; Kesteloot, 2003). Only 1/4 of IT projects is completed successfully – i.e. in time, with the assumed cost, and fulfilling the promised functionality (Smith and Keil, 2003). Although there is some improvement over the last years, software creation is still one of the most unpredictable businesses in the world. It should not be surprising then that high-tech environment often is described as stressful an demanding (Kunda, 1992; Hochschild, 1997; Perlow, 1998; Cooper, 2000; Jemielniak, 2005). It is …