Ethnography and organisations: materiality and change as methodological challenges

Abstract

We discuss two methodological challenges for ethnographies of organisations that have become increasingly relevant, namely issues of materiality and change. Both have been addressed separately in the past and we revisit the arguments made so far in order to bring them together. The two methodological challenges are connected to empirical developments and theoretical advances in organisation studies and beyond. We argue that materiality and change can be taken up by ethnographic research of organisations in different manners, but that they have to be addressed in order to gain a deeper understanding in current processes of organising. We also see these challenges as two interrelated themes that may help to make different organisational ethnographies comparable.