Talking About Organizations Podcast

Talking About Organizations Podcast


Latest Episodes

115: Problems of Field Work -- Robert K. Merton (Part 2)
July 30, 2024

We conclude our episode on Robert K. Merton by examining contemporary challenges of conducting field work and the implications for the continued pursuit of rigorous science. How has field work changed or what new barriers have emerged? How must the academ

115: Problems of Field Work -- Robert K. Merton (Part 1)
July 23, 2024

Robert K. Merton was a sociologist who founded the study of the sociology of science, how acts of research influence and are influenced by the contexts being studied. Two of his early essays exemplify this body of work whereby he and his research teams re

115: Problems of Field Work -- Robert K. Merton (Summary of Episode)
July 23, 2024

We will explore two of the early works of renowned sociologist Robert K. Merton whose interests included studying the processes of field work in order to improve the quality and rigor of field studies. What are the challenges and difficulties of doing res

114: A Conversation about Trist & Sociotechnical Systems
June 06, 2024

In Episode 114, we re-examine one of our earlier episodes that covered Trist & Bamforth’s study on the longwall method of coal-getting (Episode 34) is the most referenced of any episode we have released. In this introductory segment, Pedro & Tom t

114: Using Trist & Bamforth's Study for Teaching Change
June 06, 2024

In this bonus release, Tom talks about using Trist & Bamforth's study as a way of teaching professionals (student-practitioners) about managing organizational change. By telling the story in a way that does not require mastery of the coal-getting term

114: Sociotechnical Systems -- Trist & Bamforth (revisited) (Part 2)
June 06, 2024

This is the continuation of our review of socio-technical systems through a re-release of Episode 34 from 2017, slightly edited for clarity. Part 2 of the episode is titled "Social-Technical Systems and Organizational Theory."

114: Sociotechnical Systems -- Trist & Bamforth (revisited) (Part 1)
June 06, 2024

With over 110 episodes in our catalogue, we decided it was time to take a step back and revisit one of our earlier episodes that continues to come up time and again. Episode 34, covering Trist & Bamforth’s study on the longwall method of coal-getting,

114: Sociotechnical Systems -- Trist & Bamforth (Summary of Episode)
June 06, 2024

Coming soon! We will re-examine one of our earlier episodes which deserves another look. Trist & Bamforth’s study on the longwall method of coal-getting (Episode 34) is the most referenced of any episode we have released. Here we go back and look at t

113: Sports & Gender -- "A League of Their Own" (Part 2)
May 21, 2024

We conclude our discussion about the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own” by peeling back the fictionalized aspects of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) and talk about what happened with the league following World War II. What all

113: Sports & Gender -- "A League of Their Own" (Part 1)
May 14, 2024

The rapid growth of women’s professional team sports has a far-reaching history, and many contemporary women’s athletes have honored the legacy of pioneers as their inspiration. Included in this legacy is the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Leagu