Seminar by Prof. Eliana Crosina, Babson College
Event details
| Date | 23.10.2019 |
| Hour | 15:00 › 16:30 |
| Speaker | Prof. Eliana Crosina, Babson College |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
"Start Me Up: On the Construction of Workspace and Identity among Co-Located Entrepreneurs"
Abstract
Evidence from both research and practice offers conflicting perspectives concerning the importance and the effects of common workspace in organizations. On the one hand, some have advocated for the advantages of having a shared environment that brings individuals in proximity to one another. On the other, some have noted the benefits for both workers and their firms not to be confined within the same space. My theorizing helps reconcile these perspectives by casting workspace as something “dynamic,” whose effects are contingent on how individuals themselves engage their workspace. Specifically, through a longitudinal, inductive, field study of first time, co-located, entrepreneurs, I build a model of space crafting – which captures individuals’ respective approaches, as well as their psychological and social constructions of workspace. I find that over time, how my informants chose, used, and interpreted their workspace influenced how they constructed their workspace – namely, “Space as Learning Environment,” “Space as Social Environment,” and eventually “Space as Identity Container.” Importantly, associated to these constructions, was the development of distinct identities, related to which were specific career intentions. I conclude by discussing how a focus on workspace as something that is differently brought into being by workers, can further our understanding of workspace, and of its effects – particularly on the development of independent workers’ identities and their career intentions.
Abstract
Evidence from both research and practice offers conflicting perspectives concerning the importance and the effects of common workspace in organizations. On the one hand, some have advocated for the advantages of having a shared environment that brings individuals in proximity to one another. On the other, some have noted the benefits for both workers and their firms not to be confined within the same space. My theorizing helps reconcile these perspectives by casting workspace as something “dynamic,” whose effects are contingent on how individuals themselves engage their workspace. Specifically, through a longitudinal, inductive, field study of first time, co-located, entrepreneurs, I build a model of space crafting – which captures individuals’ respective approaches, as well as their psychological and social constructions of workspace. I find that over time, how my informants chose, used, and interpreted their workspace influenced how they constructed their workspace – namely, “Space as Learning Environment,” “Space as Social Environment,” and eventually “Space as Identity Container.” Importantly, associated to these constructions, was the development of distinct identities, related to which were specific career intentions. I conclude by discussing how a focus on workspace as something that is differently brought into being by workers, can further our understanding of workspace, and of its effects – particularly on the development of independent workers’ identities and their career intentions.
Practical information
- General public
- Free