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Co-constructing a Sense of Community at Work: The Emergence of Community in Coworking Spaces
Abstract
As more individuals are working remotely, many feel increasingly isolated and socially adrift. To address this challenge, many independent workers are choosing to work in coworking spaces – shared spaces where individuals do their own work but in the presence of others with the express purpose of being part of a community. In this qualitative, single case study, we analyze how members of a coworking space work together to co-construct a sense of community through their day-to-day interactions in the space. We apply a relational constructionist lens to unpack the processes of ‘community work’ as an interactive, agentic process. We identify three types of collective actions, or interacts, that contribute to a sense of community: endorsing, encountering, and engaging. These interacts represent different forms of community work that members interactively accomplish to maintain a desired community experience. The rapidly growing coworking movement offers insights, as uncovered in this study, on how to integrate a sense of community into the world of work.
... As a distinct organizational form, coworking spaces lack the rigid structure and hierarchy of traditional workplaces Garrett et al., 2017), providing rich data to analyze behavioral patterns, perceptual attributes of coworking-users, and spatial properties of physical settings. This study conducts a comprehensive literature review, including the majority of coworking research on coworking environments across various disciplines and countries, with a focus on exploring the social and spatial factors influencing the formation of a sense of community in coworking spaces. ...
... In the United States, Spinuzzi et al. (2019) identified two types of coworking community were Gresellschaft-like and collaborative community, aligning with the good-neighbors and good-partners configurations of social interaction (Spinuzzi, 2012). Garrett et al. (2017) emphasized that behaviors of endorsing, encountering, and engaging contribute to a sense of community by fostering collective identity, filling a social void, a sense of ownership, and genuine friendships in an ongoing process. Therefore, these configurations of network activities represent both static and dynamic aspects of community-building in coworking space. ...
... In management practices, entrepreneurial policy and support (Luo & Chan, 2020) and social-networking indexes (Zhang et al., 2021) have impacted the development of coworking spaces in China's political and economic contexts. However, a substantial number of coworking studies focus primarily on the social aspects within management, organization, and sociology Bouncken & Reuschl, 2018;Butcher, 2018;Cabral & Winden, 2016;Castilho & Quandt, 2017;Clifton et al., 2022;Garrett et al., 2017;Parrino, 2015;Rus & Orel, 2015;Spinuzzi, 2012), rather than spatial studies Endrissat & Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, 2021) and ethnographic research (Bueno et al., 2018;Luo & Chan, 2021). Research in the built environment and urban planning also incorporates social attributes and behavior patterns in the analysis of coworking spaces. ...
The Chinese coworking industry has experienced substantial growth; however, research on coworking spaces in China remains limited. This study conducts a comprehensive literature review, analyzing 51 studies on coworking environments across various disciplines and countries. While most research focuses on managerial and organizational aspects, the role of the physical environment has been overlooked. To address this gap, a conceptual framework was developed to highlight the effects of the physical environment on social interactions among coworking-users, fostering a sense of community within coworking spaces. This study aims to enhance coworking environments in China, supporting users' entrepreneurial success through an interior architecture perspective.
... Coworking spaces have prospered in recent years as hubs for creative and entrepreneurial activities, o%ering #exible workstations, shared resources, and a sense of community and mutual learning (Spinuzzi, 2012;Kojo & Nenonen, 2017). By bringing diverse workers together in physical proximity, these spaces aim to foster face-to-face interaction, serendipitous encounters, and collaborative dynamics that can spur innovation and personal growth (Garrett, Spreitzer, & Bacevice, 2017). Yet, the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this core model, compelling coworking spaces to reassess how they could maintain and nurture community ties when health restrictions and remote work practices became the norm. ...
... Coworking Spaces: A "eoretical Perspective on "eir Evolution and Challenges Collaborative spaces, particularly coworking spaces (CSs), have gained prominence in organization studies for their potential to spark creativity, knowledge exchange, and entrepreneurial synergy (Kojo & Nenonen, 2017;Spinuzzi, 2012). Such spaces are o)en theorized as sites of "economies of encounters," wherein physical proximity and unplanned interactions actively shape how work is done, ideas are generated, and professional networks are established (Garrett, Spreitzer, & Bacevice, 2017). Initially celebrated for providing cost e'ciencies and community anchoring, CSs also align with broader sociomaterial perspectives that foreground how material and technological elements jointly in#uence organizational practices (Leonardi, 2012;Orlikowski & Scott, 2008 However, scholars have begun to question whether these bene!ts, rooted in coworking's tangible, face-to-face dynamic, remain robust when confronted with emerging digital platforms or the constraints imposed by exogenous shocks (Hu, 2020). ...
... However, while working from home certainly pre!gures as a cheaper alternative, it also brings along the threat of isolation from both social and business contexts (e.g., Kjaerul%, 2017). "e emergent CSs literature shows that CS constitutes an 'antidote' to the alienation of smart working and focuses on the social dimension in CSs whereby freelancers can build a spacecentric network from which a sense of community arises (e.g., Garrett, Spreitzer, & Bacevice, 2017) and with which coworkers can identify (Capdevila, 2013;Cochis et al., 2021). Independent workers are looking for spaces that bring new stimuli for creativity and innovation and foster new social relations. ...
... Coworking spaces (CSs) are shared office spaces where selfemployed individuals and small companies can "work alone together" (Spinuzzi, 2012), fostering a sense of community (Garrett et al., 2017) that stimulates collaboration and knowledge exchanges among users. Since their inception in the late 2000 s, this phenomenon has rapidly expanded to all major cities across the world, attracting mainly professionals and businesses in knowledge-intensive industries and the creative sector. ...
... The distinctive aspect that differentiates CSs from other types of shared working spaces, such as serviced offices or business incubators, is the existence of a community characterised by a set of values of collaboration and openness (Merkel, 2015;Moriset, 2014). The community element is precisely the main reason why people choose to cowork (Clifton et al., 2022), and it represents one of the key selling points of CSs (Gandini, 2015;Garrett et al., 2017;Orel and Bennis, 2021). The community is often understood as a community of practice for freelancers and entrepreneurs in knowledge and creative industries (Butcher, 2018;Capdevila and Mérindol, 2024;Schmidt and Brinks, 2017), and its members can be classified according to their type of work arrangements (Bähr et al., 2021) or motivation to use the CS (Bouncken and Reuschl, 2018). ...
... Nonetheless, the community is the primary driver of the most significant positive effects on entrepreneurship (Brown, 2017). Peer interactions, facilitated through community management interventions (Parrino, 2015), help build a sense of community in CSs (Garrett et al., 2017), which improves emotional well-being (Akhavan and Mariotti, 2023;Bouncken et al., 2020), promotes social support (Bianchi et al., 2018) and stimulates social capital (Cabral, 2021). These interactions facilitate serendipity and collaboration (Moriset, 2014) and favour the exchange of information and ideas among diverse knowledge bases (Roche et al., 2024), enhancing knowledge creation and innovation (Cabral and van Winden, 2016;Capdevila, 2015). ...
As coworking spaces expand beyond large urban centres into more peripheral regions, they are emerging as potential entrepreneurial hubs, fostering knowledge exchange networks among entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals and other relevant economic actors. However, the factors influencing the formation of these networks and the role that different actors play remain underexplored. This study analyses the structure of the network of a coworking space and identifies the variables that influence knowledge exchanges, measuring the effect of different proximity dimensions. Using a case study of a well-established coworking in Petrer, a small 'left-behind' city in Eastern Spain, the study employs a social network analysis approach to analyse the knowledge-sharing network. In contrast to previous studies, it includes a full-network survey of the community, including not only coworkers but also coworking managers, ex-coworkers, and other collaborators of the space. Additional interviews, a focus group, and participatory observation contribute to providing deeper insights. By mapping and analysing the knowledge exchange network, the study sheds light on the behaviour of the different groups in knowledge sharing, highlighting the relevance of the coworking managers in building these networks. Furthermore, the study employs a multivariate exponential random graph model to demonstrate that while more frequent co-location strengthens social ties, temporary proximity is sufficient to stimulate knowledge exchanges. Moreover, non-geographical dimensions of proximity, such as organisational, social, and, to a lesser extent, institutional, are found to have an effect on knowledge sharing, while cognitive proximity does not appear to be significant.
... Coworking spaces are flexible, shared workplaces tailored to the needs of mobile knowledge workers such as entrepreneurs, smallbusiness owners, and freelancers (Howell, 2022). Recent survey data suggest that despite the negative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the coworking space industry, Due to their rapid growth, coworking spaces have received increasing scholarly attention in the management literature (e.g., Bouncken and Reuschl, 2018;Garrett et al., 2017;Spinuzzi et al., 2019). Studies have shown that among the various benefits of coworking, what truly makes the coworking space special, compared with traditional workplace environments, is the presence of a community (Blagoev et al., 2019;Garrett et al., 2017;Spinuzzi et al., 2019;Spreitzer et al., 2020). ...
... Recent survey data suggest that despite the negative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the coworking space industry, Due to their rapid growth, coworking spaces have received increasing scholarly attention in the management literature (e.g., Bouncken and Reuschl, 2018;Garrett et al., 2017;Spinuzzi et al., 2019). Studies have shown that among the various benefits of coworking, what truly makes the coworking space special, compared with traditional workplace environments, is the presence of a community (Blagoev et al., 2019;Garrett et al., 2017;Spinuzzi et al., 2019;Spreitzer et al., 2020). The mechanisms of creating a community in coworking spaces are particularly interesting, because members are initially unrelated, as they work for different employers or clients and lack any professional association with each other (Goermar et al., 2021). ...
... This is vastly different to traditional workplaces where employees work for the same employer, share a physical office, and have a unidimensional organizational identity as employees of the firm. Previous research on coworking spaces has discussed various practices that contribute to the sense of community (e.g., Blagoev et al., 2019;Garrett et al., 2017). However, how these practices affect the underlying mechanisms of creating a social community is not as extensively explored. ...
The use of coworking spaces – flexible, shared workplaces for mobile knowledge workers – has gained popularity among entrepreneurs, small‐business owners, and freelancers over the last decade. Coworking spaces shape a social setting for a community, within which mobile knowledge workers can network, collaborate, and share ideas. This study adopts a social‐symbolic work perspective to explore how founders and community managers create and curate the communities in their coworking spaces. Based on qualitative data gathered from 16 coworking spaces, we elaborate on how founders and community managers can integrate boundary work and social identity work in their social‐symbolic work practices to create a sense of community.
... Coworking research has discussed benefits of coworking as well as motivations and drivers for coworking. Community is often mentioned as an important benefit in coworking spaces (Garrett et al., 2017;Butcher, 2018;Blagoev et al., 2019;Spinuzzi et al., 2019), among other benefits such as collaboration (Castilho and Quandt, 2017), knowledge sharing (Parrino, 2015;Bouncken and Aslam, 2019), innovation (Cabral and Winden, 2016;Cheah and Ho, 2019) and support in social aspects as well as increasing performance (Gerdenitsch et al., 2016). Many scholars have found various motivations for professionals to engage in and be a part of coworking. ...
... Inspired by the self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2014) and the job-to-be-done approach for understanding customer needs (Ulwick and Bettencourt, 2008), we define a member need as "a description of a job, which addresses innate psychological nutriments that are essential for ongoing psychological growth, integrity, and well-being, to be fulfilled by the product or service". An example of a member's basic need is "to belong to a community" (Spinuzzi, 2012;Garrett et al., 2017;Jakonen et al., 2017;Weijs-Perr ee et al., 2019). ...
... Phase 1: identifying member needs For Phase 1, we have uncovered 19 member needs in total (see Appendix 1). In the coworking literature, some of them have been mentioned as motivation to join a coworking space, such as the desire to be part of a community (Spinuzzi, 2012;Garrett et al., 2017;Jakonen et al., 2017;Butcher, 2018;Weijs-Perr ee et al., 2019;Appel-Meulenbroek et al., 2020) or find networking opportunities (Gandini, 2015;Ross and Ressia, 2015;Brown, 2017;Clifton et al., 2019;van Dijk, 2019;Weijs-Perr ee et al., 2019;Appel-Meulenbroek et al., 2020). As argued previously, motivations are not always the same as needs. ...
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and prioritize the needs of coworking members. The authors focus on maintaining the existing members rather than attracting new ones.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use two phases and multiple methods. The first phase focuses on a qualitative approach using observations and interviews to uncover and formulate the members’ needs. The second phase focuses on prioritizing the needs using a quantitative approach.
Findings
The authors discovered 19 member needs from the coworking spaces. Based on an online survey, the authors classified those needs into three main Kano model’s categories.
Originality/value
The resulting member needs and their strategic priorities provide a useful basis for coworking providers to direct their improvement efforts towards achieving greater member satisfaction.
... In particular, coworking spaces provide a specific context of re-spatialization for companies (Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, 2021). For a fee, coworking spaces offer open and furnished workspaces, professional services, and a collaborative, even communitarian, dimension (Garrett et al., 2017;Spinuzzi, 2012). They have become particularly developed and diverse in recent years (Deskmag, 2017;Felstead et al., 2005a;Kojo & Nenonen, 2017) and are increasingly attracting companies and remote workers (Deskmag, 2019;Gandini & Cossu, 2021;Ross & Ressia, 2015). ...
... They have become particularly developed and diverse in recent years (Deskmag, 2017;Felstead et al., 2005a;Kojo & Nenonen, 2017) and are increasingly attracting companies and remote workers (Deskmag, 2019;Gandini & Cossu, 2021;Ross & Ressia, 2015). Unlike home, these spaces offer teleworkers a professional work and social environment, which provides a potential solution to their isolation through face-to-face interactions and a collaborative environment (Blagoev et al., 2019;Garrett et al., 2017). ...
... Despite this nuance, re-spatialization 2 remains underexplored (Halford, 2005), especially in contexts such as coworking spaces (Endrissat & Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, 2021;Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, 2021). These environments are known to provide opportunities for social and professional interactions, made possible by coworkers' physical proximity (Garrett et al., 2017;Le Nadant et al., 2018;Parrino, 2015;Scaillerez & Tremblay, 2019;Spinuzzi, 2012). This prompts us to better consider these spaces and the experience of social interactions that characterizes them. ...
The re-spatialization of work in coworking spaces alters the social experience of teleworkers by involving two copresences associated with distinct organizational and spatiotemporal contexts: a remote copresence with the company and a physical copresence in the coworking space. Each can be experienced to different degrees between social isolation and perceived proximity. Nevertheless, the current literature does not provide an opportunity to make sense of the combination of copresences. From this perspective, data collected during an organizational ethnography conducted within two networks of coworking spaces were analyzed. The results show that the re-spatialization of work in coworking spaces generates a hybrid copresence that can be experienced in four ways: (reinforced) isolation, ubiquity, (guilty) compensation, and (frustrated) refocusing. The characteristics of these distinct situations and the possible evolutions from one to the other are explored and explained. The results are discussed in relation to the evolution of work in a post-COVID-19 era that seems to encourage the development of more hybrid practices and spatialities. Contributions to three fields of organizational literature are made: organizational space, telecommuting and distantiated forms of work, and coworking spaces. Managerial implications are also discussed around reflections on a more hybrid and multi-spatialized organization of work practices in organizations.
... The literature has shown that coworking spaces traditionally promote the values of collaboration, exchange, and community (Ivaldi et al. 2022). Many intentionally bring people together to develop collaborative relationships, social learning (Bilandzic and Foth 2013) and social support (Bianchi et al. 2018), thus sustaining a sense of community at work (Garrett et al. 2017). ...
... Since the emergence of coworking spaces, scholars have sought to describe and understand the mechanisms underlying social relations, showing the role of physical spaces (Bouncken et al. 2021), coworking management practices (Parrino 2015), and collective actions that create a sense of community and atmosphere that facilitates supportive relationships (Garrett et al. 2017;Orel and Almeida 2019). It has also been shown that coworking spaces have different degrees of "community potential" (Berdicchia et al. 2023), and if they are not well managed, users can experience social isolation and stress (Bouncken et al. 2018). ...
... Others have highlighted that social relations are typically enabled through a variety of "organizational platforms" (Parrino 2015), ranging from internal digital social networking sites and social events to community hosts or managers, that facilitate personal introductions and social networks. It has also been shown that these devices and practices are the basis of identification with both the coworking community and the coworking space itself, defined as the "sense of community", which is considered a core mechanism in the coworking space to achieve a high frequency of collaboration and supportive interactions (Garrett et al. 2017;Waters-Lynch and Potts 2017;Spinuzzi et al. 2019). However, Parrino noted that coworking spaces differ on a continuum with the "presence of an articulated platform of tools and initiatives designed to stimulate interaction and collaboration" and a "total absence of such offers" (p. ...
Some companies are considering offering their affiliated workers external coworking spaces as an option to achieve both flexibility and inclusion, giving remote workers the chance to maintain a sense of community and have access to on-site support. However, the motivations, advantages, and problems associated with using coworking spaces for affiliated workers remain underanalysed. This study adopts a qualitative approach by conducting semistructured interviews with Italian affiliated workers who are coworking space users. Our analysis explores the benefits of using coworking spaces and the reasons that motivate affiliated workers to do so, as well as how relationships, social support, and collaboration with coworkers and colleagues are perceived. The results show that the perceived main advantages concern (a) flexibility and work efficiency and (b) relational opportunities, at both the personal and professional levels. The findings clarify the conditions under which workers sharing coworking spaces develop satisfying social relationships and collaboration, shedding light on the group dynamics of a mix of affiliated and unaffiliated workers across coworking spaces from the affiliated workers’ perspective. The study also discusses the role that affiliated workers’ organizations can play in addressing the challenges that coworking spaces pose for workers’ well-being and organizations.
... This study explores the multifaceted role of CWS for micro-entrepreneurs, providing social support, professional networking and a structured work environment crucial for discipline and work-life balance, while considering gender and family perspectives. Anchored in the "Sense of Place" theory (Dameria et al., 2022;Materson et al., 2017;Raymond et al., 2017) and the "Sense of Community" theory (McMillan and Chavis, 1986;Garrett et al., 2017), this study aims to rigorously understand the motivations driving micro-entrepreneurs to utilize CWS and critically assess the impact of such spaces on their wellbeing and entrepreneurial satisfaction, responding to the "call" for better understanding of social and contextual factors influencing entrepreneurs' wellbeing (Stephan, 2018;Wiklund et al., 2019) and filling a notable gap in existing literature. ...
... This theory, characterized by feelings of belonging, attachment and identification within a community (McMillan and Chavis, 1986), posits that CWS can establish a community grouping users with a collaborative mentality and a high tendency to share common resources. The sense of community in CWS is achieved by users collaboratively engaging, JSBED 31,8 endorsing and encountering one another, aiming to maintain the desired community experience (Garrett et al., 2017). The theory's four key elements-membership, need fulfillment, integration, influence and shared emotional connection (Lee et al., 2022)-have been applied in various contexts, including schools, neighborhoods and organizations. ...
... This demonstrates that places like CWS can positively influence wellbeing by facilitating focus and balance. Similarly, the "Sense of Community" theory highlights how shared values, mutual support and belonging in a community affect members (McMillan and Chavis, 1986;Garrett et al., 2017). The accounts of how the CWS community combats isolation and provides social connections that enhance wellbeing align with this theory. ...
Purpose-This study aims to examine the impact of coworking spaces (CWS) on the wellbeing and entrepreneurial satisfaction of remotely working micro-entrepreneurs, highlighting the role of these spaces beyond conventional work locations. It specifically investigates how CWS foster a supportive ecosystem for micro-entrepreneurs, supporting their professional journey.
Design/methodology/approach-Employing a mixed-methodological approach, this study uses nearest-neighbor matching and multiple regressions based on quantitative surveys from a representative sample of micro-entrepreneurs, including those working from CWS, and a qualitative focus group with frequent CWS users. This comprehensive approach allows for a nuanced exploration of the impacts of CWS on micro-entrepreneurs' wellbeing and satisfaction.
Findings-The study finds that micro-entrepreneurs experience significant benefits from utilizing CWS, most notably in terms of wellbeing and work-life balance. These spaces provide valuable support through community building, networking opportunities and structured work environments. The benefits of CWS are particularly pronounced for women and micro-entrepreneurs with young children, aiding in boundary management and mitigating the challenges of social isolation.
Practical implications-We provide clear implications for remotely working micro-entrepreneurs, especially women with young children at home, on why to use CWS as their primary locations. The findings also offer insights for policymakers and CWS providers, underlining the importance of designing CWS environments that meet micro-entrepreneurs' diverse needs.
Originality/value-This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a detailed examination of the utilization of CWS among micro-entrepreneurs and the impact of CWS on their wellbeing and entrepreneurial satisfaction.
... They provide work environments that cater to the evolving needs of individuals and businesses. While characterized by variety in services, user demographics (e.g., freelancers, remote workers, entrepreneurs), and geographic location (Buchnik & Frenkel, 2021;Gandini, 2015;Garrett et al., 2017), these spaces often share a common image as aesthetically appealing, modern, and conducive to creativity (Glinyanova et al., 2021;Waters-Lynch & Duff, 2021). ...
... Additional data were gathered from individual coworking space websites (www.spacenter.co.il, www.cowork.co.il, and www.coworker.co.il), press articles, and social networks. Based on the literature (e.g., Castilho & Quandt, 2017;Garrett et al., 2017;Goermar et al., 2021;Weijs-Perrée et al., 2019), the database of the features of the coworking spaces included attributes such as size, desk or office rental costs, and major service categories such as office services, social services, business services, diversity of spaces, refreshments, proximity to public transportation, classification, and design level. To measure these variables, we developed a method described in Appendix A1. ...
Abstract
Coworking spaces, which have become increasingly popular especially in large cities, have created work environments based on a new concept of workplaces. However, the contemporary literature rarely considers coworkers' preferences when choosing workplaces for conducting business or work. This study provides a comprehensive investigation of coworking spaces, focusing on their locations, characteristics, classifications, and coworkers' preferences for workspaces. In contrast to previous studies, we used the revealed-preferences method. Data were collected from 500 respondents across 37 coworking spaces in Tel Aviv using a questionnaire. A discrete choice model, the multinomial logit model, was employed to analyze coworkers' preferences. The findings reveal a diverse landscape of coworking spaces, catering to a range of user needs. Central locations with easy access to public transportation and amenities are popular, but less central areas can also attract members, particularly those seeking affordability. Coworking spaces should offer a balance of focused work areas and social spaces to foster both productivity and community. To remain relevant, these spaces must be adaptable to evolving member needs and preferences, offering a range of services and amenities. Furthermore, coworking spaces can contribute to urban revitalization by attracting knowledge workers and stimulating economic activity in underserved areas.
... Scholars have long considered sense of community (SOC) as an important concept for understanding 'how people define their community and develop a sense of belonging even when clear spatial boundaries do not exist' (Gibbs, Kim, and Ki 2019, 119). SOC consists of four properties: membership, inGuence, integration, and emotional connection (McMillan and Chavis 1986), and individuals have been found to coconstruct such conditions through interactive processes such as endorsing, encountering, and engaging (Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017). SOC has been associated with individual well-being (McMillan and Chavis 1986;Peterson, Speer, and McMillan 2008) and various types of participation and contribution (Gibbs, Kim, and Ki 2019;Talo, Mannarini, and Rochira 2014), indicating that individuals who experience SOC may be more willing to enact prosocial behaviours. ...
... In the work context, sense of community can be understood 'as the extent to which employees feel part of a community at their workplace and experience a positive atmosphere and cooperation between coworkers' (Francioli et al. 2018, 891). Employees' SOC at work is constructed through their daily social interactions and exchanges with their peers and supervisors (Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017). Literature has shown that SOC can be applied to the online context, Figure 1. ...
Remote work has become integral to contemporary work life, necessitating a detailed examination of its effects on employees’ sense of community and support – key factors influencing knowledge sharing, team performance, and well-being at work. To this end, this study examines how the adjustments made to working arrangements and workplace communication during and after the COVID-19 pandemic have affected employees’ sense of community and social support at work. The study is based on a longitudinal dataset including 544 participants, with 4352 observations collected during eight time points between 2019 and 2022. The data were analysed using a linear multilevel hybrid regression model. The results show that although remote workers, especially those with high-intensity remote work, experience less social community and support from co-workers, frequent social media communication (both work-related and nonwork-related) can mitigate some of these effects. The results provide a novel understanding of the evolution and effects of remote work configurations and employees’ use of social media for professional and personal communication in the post-pandemic era. The findings also provide valuable insights for workplaces, highlighting the importance of establishing and maintaining social communities, and enabling forums for social support from colleagues and supervisors in remote work configurations.
... Recent years have witnessed growing interest in suburban coworking initiatives-often supported by local governments to connect citizens and attract mobile workforces [17,20,48,49]. Small-city and suburban coworking sites attract people seeking work-life balance, affordable workspaces, or a higher quality of life [13,14,50]. ...
... Indeed, Tagliaro and colleagues [32] report that the share of CSs in small towns rose from 9% to 16% between 2012 and 2019. Yet very little research has focused on CSs in small-city and suburban contexts [49], and even fewer studies have investigated how managers in these locations strategize to ensure business growth [32]. Given the potential for CSs to drive economic, professional, and sustainable development, it is important to explore how managers help their spaces flourish-both within and beyond the physical coworking environment [10,30]. ...
The global rise of coworking spaces (CSs) underscores their potential to foster sustainable urban development by promoting collaboration, community engagement, and strengthening local communities. However, little is known about how CSs in smaller urban or suburban settings are managed. The COVID-19 pandemic added uncertainty to this sector, placing significant strain on these spaces and testing their resilience. This study explored how managers of CSs in small cities organize and sustain their operations, focusing on the challenges posed by the pandemic. We employed a qualitative approach, conducting eleven in-depth semi-structured interviews with managers of small city CSs, followed by nine additional interviews four months later to capture the evolving conditions. Findings show that management strategies crucially shape the sustainability of these spaces: those emphasizing open, collaborative layouts proved more vulnerable to lockdown measures, whereas those offering private offices generally weathered the crisis more effectively—albeit sometimes at the expense of a collaborative culture and community integration. These insights highlight the importance of adaptive management practices that balance economic viability with the core principles of collaboration and community building. By addressing the distinct challenges of smaller urban and suburban contexts, CS managers can strengthen their spaces’ resilience and enhance both social and economic sustainability in their local communities.
... For instance, the emergence of different innovative working models is spreading at an accelerating speed with the expansion of smart cities, emergence of sharing culture, advancements in digital technology, (Yu, Burke and Raad, 2020), growing preferences for flexibility and increasing number of remote workers, startups and entrepreneurs, etc. (Gibson and Lizieri, 1999;Laterveer, 2011). These changes in working models have enabled more flexible work while facilitating people to work outside of traditional workspaces (Garrett, Spreitzer and Bacevice, 2017). Consequently, the office market has transformed providing a number of new forms of multi-tenant offices. ...
... Yu, Burke and Raad, 2020). There are only a very few critical reviews of the coworking to date (Gandini, 2016;Waters-Lynch and Potts, 2017). However, they have not covered and identified all the trends in flexible workspace studies. ...
In the last decade, the development of flexible workspaces has become a global phenomenon. It is forecasted that by 2030, buildings will quickly and flexibly respond to the demands of those who occupy them. Indications of such transformations are evident even in the contemporary real estate arena. Coworking which is defined as the 'third wave of virtual work' is paramount in such transformations. However, despite this advancement and acknowledgment of success of these workspaces in the commercial real estate market, a limited number of academic studies exist. Further, attempts made on consolidating the existing knowledge base is not adequate. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the existing literature and identify common themes and interesting research gaps in the coworking space business model for future research. Through this systematic review, 24 articles were reviewed. This review included quantitative, qualitative and mixed approach research articles published on coworking space context during the past five years. A comprehensive review was done using eight key rubRoyal Institute of Charted Surveyors. Finally, many important gaps in the existing literature were identified on the coworking space context and sharing economy and directions for future investigations were provided.
... They can also interact with one another online or seek out groups whose members hold similar occupations (Cropanzano et al. 2023;Petriglieri, Ashford, and Wrzesniewski 2019;Reid et al. 2023). In addition, gig workers may join coworking spaces with the goal of approximating a more traditional work experience (Ashford, Caza, and Reid 2018;Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017). Although the people around them usually work for different organizations, gig workers based in coworking spaces can more reliably enjoy frequent interaction and potentially build long-term relationships that enrich their daily social experience. ...
... First, they might be better positioned to selectively pursue relationships with only those partners who appeal strongly to them. For instance, they might seek out internal employees who seem more welcoming, use coworking spaces to connect with people who work for other employers (Cropanzano et al. 2023;Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017), or find ways to interact with people in the same profession (Cropanzano et al. 2023;Petriglieri, Ashford, and Wrzesniewski 2019). Second, given lower odds of unplanned collision, they might find it easier to avoid or terminate relationships with people they experience as problematic or unpleasant (Anderson and Bidwell 2019; Ashford, Caza, and Reid 2018). ...
In this chapter, we explore how major changes to employment are altering relational dynamics and thus people’s experiences of loneliness in work contexts. We focus on virtual (i.e., hybrid or remote) jobs and gig (i.e., external, contract-based) arrangements, which are increasingly prevalent globally. Drawing on research from multiple literatures (e.g., organizational, social psychology, human-computer interaction), we identify key attributes of virtual jobs and gig arrangements that influence work relationships. First, we suggest that relationships evolve differently in virtual jobs due to limited physical proximity, greater reliance on digital communication technologies, and reduced commuting. Second, we propose that gig arrangements shape relationships through low organizational integration, time-bounded affiliation, and outsider status. These key attributes of virtual jobs and gig arrangements have complex social implications: although they often act as relationship inhibitors—thwarting the development and deepening of interpersonal connections—they can also serve as relationship facilitators—enabling greater relational choice, creativity, and access. Building on our discussion of these mixed effects, we outline fruitful avenues for future research and offer practical recommendations for organizations.
... Coworking spaces are generally defined by a weak institutional structure governed more by norms than regulation. Descriptions of coworking spaces tend to emphasize three aspects: flexibility, community, and collaboration (Garrett et al., 2017). Accelerators are generally defined by a formal time-constrained ...
... First, the coworking space was perhaps the most institutionalized space. Unexpectedly, the practice of collaboration and community, a significant feature of coworking spaces (Garrett et al., 2017), was visible even in a place functioning as an incubator and accelerator. Second, in comparison, the accelerator was more contested despite a more rigid institutional structure. ...
Purpose: The paper explores (a) the dynamics of place and space in an institutional setting, and (b) institutional work done in different spaces of the same place.
Methodology: Traditional ethnographic methods (participant-observation, interviews, and artefacts) were used over the course of 12 months of fieldwork in a multi-organizational video game development space.
Findings: The paper presents two main findings. First, we show how the place was a dynamic rainbow constellation and manifested as different spaces over time and for different actors. We describe the spaces based on existing literature (accelerator, experimental, incubator, or coworking space) or inductively (atrium, hybrid). Second, we show how institutional work changed depending on the spatial conceptions of the institutional place. In particular, we show dynamic rainbow constellation of fluid spaces raises different forms of institutional policing work (self, backroom, spectacle, tangential, preventative) and the conditions under which institutional policing work is subtly fluid and takes form, but also changes.
Originality: Significant contributions are made to understanding how actors work at forming a rainbow constellation ring of fluid labels and spaces of a place. Explicates and amplifies the forms of institutional policing work, providing a novel case example of that social interaction.
... Digital nomads usually live alone and struggle to stop working and socialize in a different environment. Coworking spaces help them meet like-minded people with intercultural understanding, collaboration and learning opportunities, and create a shared identity (Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017). Some coworking spaces offer communal lunches, movie nights, and video gaming evenings as a break away from complete isolation (Cook 2020). ...
... hiking, Yoga, etc.), would be provided. Coliving and coworking spaces at the destination emerge as essential structures to enhance networking, productivity and social interaction among digital nomads (Garrett, Spreitzer, and Bacevice 2017). Adventure activities, cultural experiences, and networking events tailored for digital nomads can also enhance attractiveness of the destination. ...
A growing yet fragmented debate addressing digital nomadism has recently emerged across different disciplines, including management, organizational behavior, and mobility studies. However, the intersection between digital nomadism and leisure and tourism activities remains blurred. Integrating existing theoretical assessments, this conceptual paper scrutinize digital nomadism from a tourism and leisure perspective, and attempts to provide a broader understanding of this phenomenon. The paper repositions digital nomads in the center of tourism and travel discourse by describing their key characteristics, mobility motives, destination selection process, and critical features, singling them out from conventional business/leisure tourists. This paper significantly contributes to an emerging stream of tourism research addressing digital nomadism as an emerging lifestyle market and provides timely practical implications for policymakers and industry practitioners.
... Accordingly, in the literature, we recognise the presence of two intertwined but polarised bodies of interpretation. On the one hand, CSs have been "compared to a community" (Ivaldi et al., 2020) by giving primary importance to social interactions, to the creation of a sense of community Gerdenitsch et al., 2016;Garrett et al., 2017) and the construction of networks and relations based on collaboration and knowledge sharing (Capdevila, 2014;Clifton et al., 2016). On the other hand, CSs are understood as a physical expression of a neoliberal culture of work (Gandini & Cossu, 2021) and as infrastructures that both reproduce and mitigate the "effects of flexploitation, albeit in a manner that tends to deepen neoliberal subjectification" (de Peuter et al., 2017, p. 701), thus delineating coworkers as "double-sided economic subjects" (Gandini, 2015). ...
This study investigates the locational patterns and socioeconomic implications of collabo-rative spaces (CSs) within the Veneto region of Italy from an accelerationist perspective. Through a comprehensive analysis of the CSs distribution, infrastructural correlations, and socioeconomic contexts, this study explores the evolving role of CSs in contemporary urban landscapes. The findings reveal a nuanced picture of CSs localisation, indicating a dispersal pattern across medium-and small-sized cities, rather than concentrating solely on major urban centres. Proximity to productive and reproductive infrastructures has emerged as a consistent theme, underscoring the economic orientation of CSs within local economic systems. Furthermore, this study delves into the ambivalence of CSs, illustrating their dual role as catalysts of knowledge-based capitalism and sites of socioeconomic tensions. Despite their initial intention to foster professional communities, CSs often become enmeshed in the broader processes of economic exploitation and hegemony. By framing CSs within the context of local innovation systems, this study highlights their potential for intensifying knowledge circulation and collaboration among local actors. This study opens avenues for future research into the evolving role of CSs within innovation systems and their broader socioeconomic implications.
... They can choose when, where, and how they work based on their specific needs. Garrett et al. (2017) emphasize that the user experience in co-working spaces is significantly influenced by the operational management of the facilities. The smooth functioning of daily activities in these space relies heavily on effective facility management, including space allocation availability of supporting amenities, and infrastructure maintenance. ...
Co-working spaces have emerged as a response to the trend of virtual work, offering flexibility and collaboration opportunities. However, their sustainability faces significant challenges, including vulnerable business models, diverse user needs, and high operational costs. This research highlights the tension between community idealism and organizational realities, addressing issues of commodification and stratification that could exacerbate labor inequality. Furthermore, monotonous use of workspaces for over six hours often leads to user fatigue. Despite the availability of various amenities, these do not necessarily attract creative workers. Therefore, exploring effective standards for facilities and activities within co-working spaces is crucial to meet user demands. This study aims to provide insights into how co-working spaces can adapt to user needs and create a more productive and sustainable work environment. A lack of understanding regarding interactions within co-working spaces and minimal community engagement also contribute to the various challenges faced.
... Second, sense of community has been described in many ways: relationships with colleagues and managers, communication and networking to foster feelings of connection, belonging, and support. These needs are met through organizational resources and supportive policies (Garrett et al., 2017). However, the World Health Organization's proclamation of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, impelled Nations to institute public health actions that drastically altered coworking practices in organization. ...
The Indian hospitality industry has experienced significant growth following the pandemic. Hospitality means providing services to the guests, and the burden of providing such exceptional services is on the frontline employees (FLE). As a result, while keeping their guests happy, FLE have ignored to be happy themselves. Although being hospitable is ingrained in Indian culture, the challenging work situations, stress, and poor earnings have negatively impacted FLE’s quality of life. It is imperative that hoteliers and policy makers look at ways to cherish and engage their human capital. Therefore, this study proposes a framework for revitalising the Indian hospitality industry by investigating the direct and indirect ways to promote FLE happiness through spiritual leadership (SL), meaningful work and sense of community, based on the conservation of resources (COR) and cognitive appraisal theories. Survey data was gathered from 362 FLE across India, and data was analysed using SEM and PROCESS macro V4.1. Results indicate that SL contributed greatly to improving the beneficial effects of meaningful work and sense of community on FLE happiness through serial mediation paths. Additionally, however, the findings also revealed a curvilinear relationship between SL and FLE happiness, indicating that too much of SL was not always beneficial, and suggesting new lines of inquiry. This study shed light on theoretical and managerial implications from a service industry context, thus reinvigorating research in the hospitality industry.
... coworking spaces seek to embody the principles of openness (Kojo & nenonen, 2016), community (Garrett et al., 2017) and collaboration (Mitev et al., 2019). users are grouped together in open plan spaces where 'hot-desking' is common. ...
Drawing on 40 interviews with owner-managers and eight enterprise hub managers, this study critically assesses the workspace preferences, motivations, and experiences of enterprise hub tenants. This provides a means to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of four types of entrepreneurial workspaces (home-based, conventional rented office space, enterprise hub, and coworking spaces), which differ in terms of their degree of openness. The paper contributes through an identification of the limitations of binary ‘open or closed’ equals ‘good or bad’ judgements of entrepreneurial workspaces, rather recognizing that the diverse multitasking that is inevitably involved in running a small business means that no single, fixed physical layout is optimal for all tasks. Moreover, the paper contributes to the literature on New Working Spaces, offering practical recommendations for the design of entrepreneurial workspaces, arguing that they should be informed by the ‘clopen’ principle—flexibly combining ‘open’ elements such as coworking spaces, shared kitchens, networking groups and breakout rooms/spaces, with ‘closed’ dedicated space for rent. The paper highlights how enterprise hubs can exemplify the clopen principle in practice, offering entrepreneurs a ‘goldilocks’ optimum combining the advantages of both open and closed workspaces.
... Recent empirical studies of scientific collaboration networks (Wagner et al., 2019) and virtual research teams (Gilson et al., 2015) further support the importance of creating physical and virtual spaces that reduce collaboration barriers while maintaining institutional autonomy. Our second theoretical consideration concerns the role of community in workspaces, drawing from theories on the social infrastructure of collaborative spaces (Garrett et al., 2017) and on organizational space design (Taylor and Spicer, 2007). These frameworks help explain how spatial arrangements and governance structures influence community formation and knowledge exchange in shared workspaces. ...
Purpose-This study aims to resolve challenges associated with the increasing demand for remote higher education. The authors propose four plausible subtypes of coworking that address the need for remote yet collaborative scholarship.
Design/methodology/approach-This is a conceptual paper applying existing research and theory on coworking to the needs and constraints of higher education and remote scholarship.
Findings-Coworking facilities can offer high-quality infrastructure, foster remote collaboration and connect individuals beyond traditional educational boundaries. Four plausible coworking models are proposed that meet the conceptual criteria of coworking and the practical constraints of higher education.
Practical implications-Remote higher education has distinct costs and benefits relative to traditional campus-based models, like the costs and benefits of remote versus organization-based work more generally. In the corporate sector, coworking has helped maintain the benefits of organization-based work while reducing the costs of remote work. Coworking has the potential to do so for remote scholarship as well, maintaining face-to-face social relationships while improving flexibility, inclusiveness and interinstitutional collaboration. This is especially important as remote scholarship becomes increasingly common and necessary.
Social implications-The paper highlights coworking's potential to improve well-being and performance when working remotely and to democratize and improve education by reducing geographic, institutional and disciplinary barriers to collaborative scholarship.
Originality/value-This paper reimagines coworking in the context of higher education, proposing innovative frameworks that could transform traditional learning, teaching and research.
... Cette montée en puissance du coworking peut aussi s'expliquer par la recherche d'un cadre alternatif pour les travailleurs (Garrett et al., 2017) sans oublier qu'il offre un environnement propice à la création de réseaux professionnels (Spinuzzi, 2012). Ce cadre fertile favorise ainsi les interactions sociales à travers l'échange de connaissances et d'idées, transformant ces lieux en des espaces favorisant l'entrepreneuriat et l'incubation (Bouncken, Reuschl, 2018). ...
Cet article approfondit la compréhension empirique de l’impact des espaces de coworking sur l’innovation en entreprise (produit, procédé). De nombreuses recherches ont exploré le lien entre ces espaces et l’innovation, sans valider statistiquement l’influence des salariés utilisant ces espaces sur l’innovation dans leurs entreprises respectives. Notre recherche s’appuie sur une enquête réalisée auprès de 920 entreprises en (Anonymisation). En nous appuyant sur un modèle de type probit bivarié, nous démontrons que l’usage de ces espaces par les salariés augmente la propension à innover de leurs entreprises. Cette influence significative et positive se cantonne toutefois à l’innovation de produit. Cette contribution économétrique à la littérature vient enrichir la compréhension autour du rôle des espaces de coworking comme catalyseurs d’innovation au sein des territoires. En ce sens, nous offrons des pistes pour les décideurs (public, privé) désireux de promouvoir l’innovation dans le tissu économique local.
... Many people prefer to work remotely or as a freelancer because they value meaningful work, autonomy, and flexibility in terms of schedules and work pace/content. (Garrett, et al., 2017). Prior to renting a place in coworking environments, those independent professionals used to work from homes or coffee shops (Spinuzzi, 2012). ...
... coworking spaces seek to embody the principles of openness (Kojo & nenonen, 2016), community (Garrett et al., 2017) and collaboration (Mitev et al., 2019). users are grouped together in open plan spaces where 'hot-desking' is common. ...
What were we trying to find out?Scotland has a suite of different policies relating to land use, reflecting the complexities of balancing different land-use aims, including food production and forestry, environmental protection, climate change mitigation and socio-economic benefits. This research explored the relative influence of different land-use policies on the decision-making processes of a range of different key stakeholders.What did we do?We used Q methodology, which involves participants ranking different land-use policies based on their influence on land-use decisions and their ability to achieve their land-use goals. Organisations with direct influence over land-use decisions and membership organisations (whose members managed land and made land-use decisions) were interviewed. Interviews with 12 organisations were conducted between February – March 2024.What did we learn?The analysis identified 5 distinct representative perspectives (factors) on the influence of land-use policies on decision-making processes: Conservationists, Public and Community Interests, Food Producers, Private Interests, and Crofting Interests. There was a high degree of divergence between these perspectives underscoring the contested nature of land-use aims and consequently the land-use policy landscape in Scotland. Key themes emerging from the analysis highlighted the high degree of influence attributed to incentive-based legislation and financial support, the impact of uncertainty, complexity, and lack of clarity within the policy landscape, and a preference for landscape-scale approaches to promote holistic land management strategies.What do we recommend?The recommendations include establishing a clear framework for subsidies and financial incentives in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill1, enhancing advisory and knowledge exchange services to support sustainable land-use practices and navigate policy complexities, implement landscape scale approaches which can combine democratically informed landscape scale land-use with targeted regulations and environmental protections. Such a model could be explored in the context of the Scottish Government’s commitment to designating at least one new National Park by 2026.
... More specifically, our research suggests another way-through the blurring of work-nonwork boundaries-that the physical work environment influences coworker relationship development. While there is widespread acceptance that different workspaces differentially enable or constrain how employees relate (e.g., Fayard & Weeks, 2007;Garrett, Spreitzer & Bacevice, 2017;Khazanchi et al., 2018), scholars have largely neglected how employees' work-from-home spaces influence work relationships. Research on work from home has tended to focus instead on how employees' home space influences their work effectiveness (Bloom, Liang, Roberts & Ying, 2015;Olson & Primps, 1984;Rupietta & Beckmann, 2018) or on how organizational leaders can control their employees from afar (Kniffin et al., 2021;Stoker, Garretsen & Lammers, 2022). ...
... That's how collaborative work spaces were created. Collaborative work spaces are created by six factors, such as: transport, size of a city, sustainability, technology, demography and cultural and sociological characteristics 4. [17] »The third place« 4. [38] might be found on several locations, it is closer to the place of residence and is not a formal office. More agile corporate mechanism opts for »outsourcing«, much more taking into account security and health of the employees due to everyday commuting 4. [39]. ...
The paper deals with the analysis of the changes in the working environment, from the traditional offices (conventional workplace), through the hybrid space, up to the virtual environment. The experiences of previous research in different periods, pre-, during, and post-pandemic caused by Covid-19 virus, were used. The focus of the paper are changes in the spatial-functional aspect of work spaces, which arise as a result of the transformation of the of living and working. An overview of reference works that dealt with research in the context of the topic is given.
The aim of the paper is to draw conclusions based on some experiences from different environments about the percentage of acceptance and adaptation to nowadays working environments, supported by information and communication technologies, as well as encouraged by long duration of the global pandemic.
... These give employees flexibility to choose their workplace rather than remain in a traditional office. The emerging concept of coworking emerged has been studied within various disciplines: urban informatics (Bilandzic, Schroeter, & Foth, 2013), urban studies (Di Marino & Lapintie 2017;Groot, 2013;Mariotti, Pacchi, & Di Vita, 2017), management (Butcher, 2013;Capdevila, 2015;Jakonen, Kivinen, Salovaara, & Hirkman, 2017;Leclercq-Vandelannoitte & Isaac, 2016;Sebestova, Sperka, Malecka, & Luckza, 2017), real estate (Green, 2014), sociology (Gandini, 2015;Spinuzzi, Bodrozic, Scaratti, & Ivaldi, 2018), economic planning (Avdikos & Kalogeresis, 2017), design (Parrino, 2015), psychology (Gerdenitsch, Scheel, Andorfer, & Korunka, 2016), engineering (Kojo & Neonen, 2016Liimatainen, 2015), and organization studies (Garrett, Spreitzer, & Bacevice, 2017;Spinuzz et al., 2018). However, despite numerous studies, there is still no common definition for coworking; instead, there are several definitions, mostly from coworking space users and managers (Moriset, 2014;De Guzman & Tang, 2011;Döring, 2010;Deskmag, 2014;Spinuzzi, 2012;Capdevila, 2015). ...
Due to technological developments that have changed the way people work, office interiors are also evolving and there has been an accelerating transition from conventional offices to shared workplaces since the rise of flexible working. These coworking spaces are intended to offset the negative effects of home-office and remote working, such as isolation and lack of collaboration. However, coworking places are more likely to improve performance and well-being when their users are given control. Accordingly, drawing on the concept of control developed by Evans and McCoy (1998), this study analyzed the satisfaction of coworking space users in terms of key control-related design factors, namely flexibility, indoor environmental control including thermal quality, air quality, visual quality, acoustic quality and furniture and layout, privacy, and territoriality. Data were collected via a survey conducted of the users of Originn Coworking Offices, İzmir, and via interviews with its founders. The findings indicate that users feel more satisfied resulted with an increased job satisfaction and productivity if they have control over their space. These findings can guide professionals in designing and constructing shared offices to meet the expectations of users, and in designing and developing existing coworking spaces.
... To benefit from relational energy and subsequent performance (Owens et al., 2016), employees are advised to take a proactive approach in engaging with others at work, for example, by actively participating in (virtual) social activities or making an effort to connect with colleagues at work (remotely). Organizations can support promotion-oriented relational job crafting efforts by offering job crafting interventions (e.g., van den Heuvel et al., 2015) or by creating systematic opportunities for formal and informal social interactions and connections, such as through shared working spaces (Garrett et al., 2017), regular group meetings (Cohen & Prusak, 2002), an office layout lending itself to meaningful interactions with others (Sailer & McCulloh, 2012), or social events at work where employees can proactively connect with colleagues, mentors, and professionals in their field. Because teleworking may be attractive to organizations as a means to save costly office space and commuting time (Baruch, 2000), organizations are also encouraged to find ways to provide equivalent opportunities in a virtual work environment. ...
Despite an extensive body of research on job crafting, our understanding of how bottom‐up job crafting behaviors interact with top‐down job design in influencing employee effectiveness remains limited. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we developed and tested a theoretical framework to examine the implications of daily promotion‐ versus prevention‐oriented relational job crafting on employees' energy and subsequent task performance, in the context of relational job design (i.e., task interdependence). To test our theorizing, we conducted two experience‐sampling studies over 10 workdays with full‐time employees across various organizations (Study 1: N day‐level = 845, N person‐level = 126; Study 2: N day‐level = 793, N person‐level = 108). Multilevel path modeling indicated promotion‐oriented relational job crafting was positively associated with subsequent task performance by increasing energy levels (Study 2), particularly when task interdependence was low (Study 1). In contrast, prevention‐oriented relational job crafting was energy depleting in low‐task‐interdependent contexts (Study 2) but increased employees' energy in high‐task‐interdependent contexts (Study 1). Our findings suggest different forms of day‐to‐day relational job crafting behaviors are relevant for employees' energy and performance, but their effectiveness may depend on the relational job‐design context.
... Co-working space has a function to provide and create a workspace that supports collaboration, participation, openness, innovation, flexibility, sharing of tools, knowledge, and experiences (Garrett, Spreitzer, & Bacevice, 2017). According to a study conducted by Gretchen Spreitzer, Peter Bacevice, and Lyndon Garrett of the Harvard Business Review, people who work in co-working spaces have growth rates close to the average of 6 on a 7-point scale (Spreitzer, Bacevice, & Garrett, 2015). ...
In the face of challenges affecting society, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, there are negative impacts on social and economic infrastructure, including the labor sector. The response to community vulnerability to disruption is a critical concern that requires resolution. This design-based research aims to provide insights to create and enhance resilient communities through the design of co-working spaces, grounded in sustainable economic principles. Using an exploratory study, problems were identified, and solutions were generated through SWOT and PESTEL analysis. The proposed solutions, involving programs, control measures, architectural considerations, and financial models, were tested through an economic feasibility test approach. The results show that it is possible to implement a sustainable economy in the design of co-working spaces, depending on support from the government and private sectors. Three key aspects-research and development, socio-economic empowerment, and environmental waste management-were formulated to implement the concept, tailored to the potential in each location, using the Covid-19 situation as an illustrative example for future learning and preparedness.
... However, cohesive networks produce an environment that is ideal for productively dealing with such critiques. Within cohesive networks, individuals are expected to reciprocate help and support each other, enhancing their commitment to work tasks (Coleman 1988, Xiao and Tsui 2007, Garrett et al. 2017. Moreover, psychological safety is typically higher in such networks (Schulte et al. 2012), leading to more open and honest communication, which can make individuals more likely to bring forth problems and offer constructive criticism, thus driving refinement (Parke et al. 2022). ...
Although interpersonal networks are paramount for creativity, much prior work has considered their interpretation and activation to be unambiguous. In this paper, we instead draw on the notion that interpersonal networks exist primarily as subjective representations—i.e., cognitive networks—to explore their influence on network mobilization. Through an inductive study in which we follow the elaboration of creative ideas in a small organization, we reconstruct how different cognitive networks channel individuals to enact specific network mobilization scripts—activating specific ties and adopting particular forms of interpersonal engagement. We identify two network mobilization scripts stemming from loose and cohesive cognitive networks, respectively. The script stemming from loose cognitive networks leads individuals to activate and engage with a few intimate colleagues bluntly and directly, while the one arising from cohesive cognitive networks prods the activation of a larger set of ties and a courteous demeanor. Although both network mobilization scripts facilitate the elaboration of ideas, their effectiveness is contingent on their resonance with the cognitive network of the individuals who enact them and with the network mobilization scripts enacted by the alters who are activated. By showing that individuals with different cognitive networks mobilize their networks differently, we contribute to both the cognitive network literature and the social side of the creativity literature.
... In companies, employees are influenced by their company's aim to make a profit but are also guided by their emotions, feelings, and other irrational elements (Nugent and Abolafia 2006;Simon 1955;Thaler 2016) that cannot be easily quantified or measured such as generosity, humanity, kindness, compassion, help for others, and mercy (Sferrazzo 2019). Interpersonal relationships (Chater and Loewenstein 2016;Karlsson et al. 2004;Rosso et al. 2010) bind people together (Dokko et al., 2013;Garrett et al. 2017) based on spiritual considerations, personal affinities, and love (Pirson 2017a, b;Tasselli 2018). While interpersonal relationships can be deemed unproductive, they can lay the foundations of social cohesion and belonging (Sferrazzo 2020) necessary for any relational experience (Becchetti et al. 2008). ...
Neuroscientists, psychologists, educators, and management scholars propose that the current emphasis on intellect and reason in education and business over values such as love, connectedness, and compassion are at the root of many business ethical failures and societal problems. They argue not that reason should be abandoned in education and business management but rather that it needs to be balanced with values such as love because these attributes are innately human, enabling wise decision-making. This is a difficult task in the context of the current ethos of intellect and reason that dominates education and management. To correct the imbalance, we must explore ways of preparing future managers to accept the relevance and importance of learning to develop and embody love. Through our research, we provide an experience of community love by creating a caring, receptive, personal container. We engaged in the practice of Collaborative Autoethnography, integrating the Nguni South African concept of Ubuntu, to explore, research, and demonstrate the experience of love in a community setting. To support this practice, we framed it against the background of integrative justice, focusing on authentic engagement without exploitative intent as per Santos and Laczniak’s (2015) Integrative Justice Model (IJM) and built upon some common contexts from which love is considered such as Catholic Social Thought (CST) and indigenous cultures. We analyzed why and how love might be implemented in education and management and how Collaborative Autoethnography can be applied in connecting with others to research, learn from, and build upon the experience of love and connectedness.
... Coworking spaces are aimed to encourage a sense of community and stimulate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and networking among coworkers (Spinuzzi, 2012;Garrett et al., 2014). At the beginning of the coworking movement, typical users were mainly freelancers and startups. ...
Although academia has witnessed increasing interest in coworking spaces over the past decade, the corporate perspective on utilizing such spaces has not been thoroughly studied. This paper investigates corporate goals, activities, and outcomes of corporate–coworking collaboration by examining 11 different cases in which corporates engage in coworking spaces. We find that, based on their goals, corporates choose different collaboration pathways to enhance their innovation capabilities. We call these pathways explorer , startup hunter , implementer , and transformer . Coworking spaces play an essential role by hosting and orchestrating key open innovation actors, resources, and activities such as scanning, scouting, community building, co‐development, and learning. They are emerging as an open innovation platform that can trigger sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities of corporates. Our study contributes to the innovation management and the coworking space literature and offers practical implications for both corporates and coworking spaces.
Little is understood of how enterprise support organisations frame their role and impact in entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE). To explore this gap, we conduct a narrative analysis of co-working spaces’ (CWS) impact and evaluation reports. Our analysis reveals the use of three frames. Objective frames, which include scaling technology ventures, facilitating social innovation, or developing specific communities. Impact frames which include well-being and productivity, venture creation and growth, and community outreach. Driving these objectives are specific coordinating frames, peer support, bespoke support, EE facilitation, and mentor networks. The implications of these heterogenous narratives are discussed in relation to the current literature that considers the role of ESOs in EE coordination.
Coworking spaces (CWSs) are a relatively new form of industrial organisation which have grown exponentially in the 21st century. Early authors on CWSs have likened them to micro-clusters. Yet this simple analogy may underplay the intricacies of CWS ‘communities’, which differ by type, goals and location with the burgeoning of this organisational form. We seek to show how Marshall’s work on industrial districts (1890, 1919) and that of his Italianate followers, can inform the communitarian aspects that create distinctions across a range of CWS types that exist today. We apply Marshallian/Italianate perspectives to a qualitative study of CWSs in three English provincial regions and find it offers a useful focussing device through which to explain the subtle differences between CWSs types, giving Marshall renewed importance in the current era.
A presente pesquisa se propôs a compreender a psicodinâmica da coordenação-cooperação no contexto do teletrabalho em organizações públicas e privadas. A partir desse objetivo formulou-se a seguinte questão de pesquisa: como se desenvolve a psicodinâmica da coordenação-cooperação no contexto do teletrabalho em organizações públicas e privadas? Para responder esse questionamento e atender ao objetivo central da tese, foram desenvolvidos três estudos independentes, porém interconectados, os quais objetivaram: i. compreender as características do contexto do teletrabalho em organizações públicas e privadas, a partir de documentos institucionais e narrativas de teletrabalhadores; ii. compreender a psicodinâmica da coordenação do teletrabalho em organizações públicas e privadas; e iii. compreender a psicodinâmica da cooperação no teletrabalho em organizações públicas e privadas.
Metodologicamente, realizou-se uma pesquisa qualitativa com o objetivo de apreender o fenômeno em sua profundidade e especificidade. A tese constitui-se em um estudo de campo e documental dividida em três estudos que atendem aos objetivos desta pesquisa. O primeiro estudo integra dados da pesquisa de campo e documental, enquanto o segundo e o terceiro contemplam os resultados das análises dos dados coletados a partir dos relatos dos entrevistados na pesquisa de campo. Na pesquisa documental, foram analisados normativos, legislações e documentos que regulam o teletrabalho. Para organizar os resultados obtidos, as informações foram sistematicamente agrupadas em temas e subtemas, possibilitando uma descrição detalhada dos documentos reguladores do teletrabalho nas organizações. Os temas identificados foram: dimensão organizacional, dimensão situacional e dimensão laboral. Foram realizadas vinte e duas entrevistas narrativas, guiadas por tópicos norteadores. As entrevistas resultaram em 21 horas, 48 minutos e 21 segundos de gravações em áudio e vídeo. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada uma adaptação da técnica de análise dos núcleos de sentido (ANS), com o auxílio do software ATLAS.ti, que facilita o manuseio de grandes volumes de dados qualitativos, bem como a leitura, fichamento e categorização dos dados com maior praticidade. Foram identificados temas e subtemas com uma abordagem essencialmente indutiva, na qual os subtemas e temas emergiram dos dados coletados empiricamente. Em resposta à questão de pesquisa, os resultados deste estudo revelaram que o teletrabalho é um fenômeno multidimensional, impactando organizações e trabalhadores de diversas maneiras. A análise detalhada desta pesquisa abrangeu aspectos tecnológicos, psicossociais e organizacionais que influenciam essa modalidade de trabalho. Os achados destacam os principais temas: aspectos do teletrabalho; organização do trabalho; condições de trabalho; relações de trabalho; prazer-sofrimento; carga psíquica e saúde-adoecimento. Conclui-se que a dinâmica entre coordenação
e cooperação no trabalho depende da gestão dos vínculos sociais e se localiza na fronteira entre o prescrito (que demanda coordenação) e o real (que, por vezes, demanda cooperação), conforme a perspectiva dejouriana. No contexto contemporâneo, o trabalho solitário é inevitável, mas todas as atividades dentro de uma organização estão interconectadas, e a desconexão do indivíduo do coletivo organizacional pode suscitar o sentimento de não pertencimento. A gestão estratégica pode promover a cooperação, reduzindo o risco de sofrimento e adoecimento. A coordenação, visando à criação de relações socioprofissionais saudáveis, fortalece o vínculo do trabalhador com a instituição, promovendo reconhecimento e sublimação do sofrimento em prazer, o que contribui para a manutenção da saúde mental dos trabalhadores. A pesquisa sugere práticas que podem melhorar o teletrabalho, como a gestão do isolamento e a criação de programas que favoreçam o pertencimento institucional e o suporte familiar. Também é importante reduzir desconfortos e distrações, garantindo a eficiência dos
processos e resultados, especialmente no ambiente doméstico, por meio da adequação de equipamentos e mobiliário.
Purpose
Open-source communities are platforms that promote knowledge sharing. The mitigation of open-source risks is crucial to these communities. Therefore, this article explores the governance mechanisms of knowledge sharing in open-source communities.
Design/methodology/approach
To answer the core research question – “What are the governance mechanisms of knowledge sharing in open-source communities?” – we conducted an in-depth case study analysis of two open-source communities based in China.
Findings
Two types of open-source communities were found: technology-driven communities and enterprise ecosystem-oriented communities. Hence, their governance mechanisms differed. For the former type, it was important to integrate social and commercial value to encourage knowledge exchange and enhance business scenarios through community-user experience. For the latter type, mutual collaboration and knowledge sharing could be fostered through differentiated layouts and the distributed collaboration of developers around data-driven innovation scenarios. This required the integration of individual and ecosystem value through value exchange.
Originality/value
This study advances our understanding of the coordinated development between founding firms and digital technology-based open-source communities. The findings offer important guidance to business practitioners seeking to manage knowledge-sharing activities during digital transformations.
Consumption has always been part of the workplace, yet it has traditionally been seen as nonwork—an activity that depletes rather than creates value. In the knowledge and digital economy, however, consumption and work are becoming increasingly intertwined, calling for a relational perspective on consumption’s productive role. We develop this perspective through a four-year ethnography of coworking spaces across Paris and London, supplemented by post-pandemic archival data. We introduce consumptive work as the instrumentalization of consumption activities in the workplace to generate productive value. Consumptive work emerges within a postindustrial societal context where workplace culture is shaped by consumer ideology, leading to 1) customer entitlement in the workplace, 2) consumer desire toward the workplace, and 3) consumer lifestyle aspirations toward work. Consumptive work is characterized by inconspicuousness, boundarilessness, and communal and market exchange. While it can be empowering, it also fosters neo-normative alienation, particularly through performative play and leisure, and the pursuit of productive wellness. Ultimately, consumptive work reinforces evolving consumer desires and aspirations about office work and workplaces. This study advances interdisciplinary research on consumption and consumption ideology in the workplace, workplace alienation, new ways of working, and consumer research connecting work, home, and leisure.
The surging prevalence of independent work is giving rise to concerns about professional isolation. However, the research regarding the purposeful inclusion of workers who feel isolated is not applicable for independent workers, for whom disconnection is inherent in their roles. We address this issue with a grounded theory study involving 30 interviews with independent workers. As independent workers’ explicit expectation of work relationships is more transactional than for workers in more traditional roles, formal and social inclusion practices do not necessarily make them feel included. Scholars generally use the terms social and professional isolation interchangeably, but to understand how independent workers experience isolation and how organizations can make them feel included, it is necessary to distinguish between these two concepts. This research contributes to the literature on workplace isolation by providing a nuanced understanding of professional isolation for independent workers and introducing the concept of professional inclusion as a potential solution. This study also provides a theoretical framework that links isolation and inclusion for independent workers.
This book is about the underlying mechanisms of agile management that control work processes in the context of industrial tech development. It challenges commonly held beliefs in adaptability, collaboration and flattened hierarchies claimed to be achieved by agile approaches. In asking how these promises are put into practice, this book offers novel insights into how work is controlled in times of increasing flexibility and constant change in the world of work and management.
Through a rich analysis of a case study in industrial tech companies, Klara‑Aylin Wenten argues that agility is deeply entrenched in ambivalences ranging between planning and improvising, caring and exploiting, intimacy and professional distance, accuracy and imperfection and autonomy and control. She illuminates the challenging expectations and invisible work efforts that employees are faced with to adhere to the promise of agility. In introducing the concept of ‘management scripts’, the author sheds light on how action patterns, work habits, roles, interactions or artifacts embed (unspoken) guidelines instructing and controlling employees’ daily work lives. This lens on scripts challenges conventional management theories and highlights the pivotal role of material objects in work control. This book thus extends our understanding of the heterogeneity of humans and nonhumans contributing to the dynamics of managerial control, even beyond the scope of agile methodologies.
This book appeals to an academic audience ranging from the humanities and social sciences to more practice‑based disciplines in management and business. As a research monograph, this book is predominantly dedicated to academic scholars in the fields of Science and Technology Studies, organization and management studies and the sociology of work but also addresses practitioners and scholars interested in business, innovation, design, anthropology or cultural studies.
To access the benefits of mobility, digital nomads regularly disconnect from their physical locations, which should prevent them from forming a sense of place. Yet, they need this sense of place to work effectively and continue to work as digital nomads. Identifying this tension between mobility and work as the mobile worker paradox, we conduct a qualitative analysis of 73 interviews with 67 digital nomads and advance a theoretical model showing two paths by which digital nomads navigate this paradox. As digital nomads initially move to a new location, they experience placelessness—enjoying freedom and being burdened by the lack of structure. They use their freedom for nonwork adventures, and they address burdens via work placemaking, resulting in placefulness, which is a deep connection to their physical location. We find that digital nomads interpret placefulness differently according to their degree of wanderlust, which determines whether they navigate the mobile worker paradox through place iteration or place integration. Challenging the idea that mobility and a sense of place are incompatible, this study enhances our understanding of digital nomads and mobile workers broadly, and it contributes to the literatures on place, paradox, and flexible work. It also invites further research on hybrid workers, the importance of wanderlust in contemporary work arrangements, and the career implications of place iteration and place integration.
Instead of going above and beyond their roles and responsibilities—once regarded as the hallmark of an engaged employee—many employees now do only the bare minimum required, a behavior known as ‘quiet quitting,’ which has drawn significant attention in public discourse. Despite its recent prevalence in social media and popular press, the existing public relations literature falls short of fully capturing the complexity and multifaceted nature of quiet quitting in relation to employee engagement and disengagement. Drawing on the dialogic communication framework and emerging research on employee disengagement in public relations, this study explores the influence of internal communication on quiet quitting. Through a nationwide survey of 700 full-time U.S. employees, this study showed the important roles of employee resilience and sense of community in mediating the impact of organization-employee dialogic communication on mitigating employee quiet quitting behaviors. The study argues that public relations must extend beyond its traditional boundaries, evolving into a strategic internal function that promotes more equitable, supportive, and sustainable work environments. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed.
This article outlines how notions of novelty define today’s work practices and debates what the discursive construction of work as ‘new’ means. On the one hand, we highlight a misplaced emphasis on change and novelty that can lead to unnecessary dichotomization in the characterization and discursive construction of work practices and organizational phenomena. On the other, we specify substantive continuities in a range of strategic, organizational and employment arrangements. As such, we contend that a critical evaluation of key characteristics of contemporary work reveals that they are often not unique. Instead, these characteristics reflect the extending, rebranding or reshaping of measures and processes fashioned in earlier forms of value production. Ultimately, we theorize how the promotion of the ‘new’ world of work reflects structures and practices somehow altered in appearance, yet still analogous in substance, to those found in the traditional employment and production fabric of organizations.
Purpose: Designing a Strategic Change Management Model in the Open Innovation System and Collaborative Space of Knowledge-Based Companies.
Methodology: The research has been conducted with the qualitative method of thematic analysis, which is fundamental in terms of results and fundamental and practical in terms of purpose and based on data. The statistical population of this research includes experts and elites in the field of strategic management, managers and officials in the field of change management, which was compiled and prepared with the help of an interview protocol that was compiled and prepared with the consultation and opinion of expert professors and by conducting semi-structured interviews with the selection of 15 experts. In the area of strategic change management, data and information were collected using purposeful sampling method and using their opinions. Theoretical saturation method was used to determine the sampling volume in the number of conducted interviews. Also, the validation of the research has been evaluated based on Parker and Rafi's criteria.
Findings: After selecting the interviewees in the research using purposeful sampling and conducting 15 semi-structured interviews with them, theoretical saturation occurred, and by extracting and analyzing the data, 101 open codes (initial concept), 25 basic themes, 17 organizing themes and 7 overarching themes were identified. These codes and concepts were reviewed and modified many times by the researcher and similar and identical concepts were placed in one category.
Conclusion:7 overarching themes were identified, including managerial factors, supportive leadership, company structure, knowledge-oriented, strategic thinking, collaborative culture and business intelligence.
Purpose
Showing that the contribution of innovation spaces to the development of collaborative innovation projects remains ambiguous for both independent innovation spaces and those run by large organizations, this research proposes to highlight the essential role of boundary spanners to make such projects emerge from innovation spaces.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is based on a multicase study of four innovation spaces in French healthcare ecosystems. Distinguishing between independent innovation spaces and innovation spaces run by large organizations, this research provides an in-depth analysis of the emergence of collaborative innovation thanks to the presence of boundary spanners.
Findings
Through a qualitative study, this research shows that managers of innovation spaces are the keystone to understanding how new collaborative practices are experimented in innovation spaces. It also shows that boundary spanners can be a team rather than a single individual. They endorse network builder, mediator, and entrepreneur roles and their actions go beyond the innovation spaces boundaries. They mobilize the innovation space dimension to enhance collaborations that are resilient over time and take also place outside innovation space. The boundary spanners’ role exists as much in independent innovation spaces as in innovation spaces managed by large organizations, but in somewhat different ways.
Originality/value
This article clarifies how innovation space support collaborative innovation by explaining the contribution of individuals who act as boundary spanners in this process. The contributions are threefold. First, the managers of the IS endorse the role of boundary spanner, but they do not act alone. Other actors contribute as boundary spanners for the emergence and/or the experimentation of new collaborative practices. Second, they mobilize IS to encourage collaborative projects among people coming from different organizations, but the modalities vary between independent IS and those run by large organization. However, both contribute to the development of new resilient capabilities thanks to the action of boundary spanners. Third, the network-building function of the boundary spanners goes beyond the development of connections within the physical space of the innovation space.
This study investigates the relationship between sense of community and performance among members of the Muhammadiyah Student Association in East Java. Employing a descriptive quantitative research method, data were collected from a population of 65 individuals using saturated sampling. Research instruments, derived from previous studies, demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability. Results reveal a predominantly high sense of community among members, with 9.20% categorized as very high, 21.50% as high, 43.20% as medium, 20% as low, and 6.10% as very low. These findings underscore the importance of fostering a strong sense of community within groups, as it positively impacts individual and collective performance, thus offering valuable insights for community development and organizational management. Highlights: Importance of sense of community: Emphasizes the role of community cohesion in driving individual and collective performance. Research methodology: Descriptive quantitative approach provides an overview of sense of community among members. Findings: Majority of members exhibit high to very high sense of community, highlighting strong group cohesion within the Muhammadiyah Student Association in East Java. Keywords: Community, Sense of Community, Ikatan Pelajar Muhammadiyah
Digitalization and globalization have stimulated the emergence of digital nomadism as a lifestyle that combines work with constant travel. To address the shortage of skilled employees, a growing number of organizations has to consider to work with digital nomads as external service providers. However, little is known yet about why individuals choose to become constant travelers in the first place. We address this research gap and aim to identify the motives for choosing a digital nomad lifestyle. To this end, we conduct a netnography study on 3,000 online posts from digital nomad communities. Using the Gioia method, we find several repelling and attracting work-related and leisure/travel-related motives and a combination of both. We discuss the implications of these findings for organizations as well as future research opportunities.
Purpose
Coworking spaces represent a new, rapidly emerging phenomenon. Available empirical literature is sparse and mostly focused on structural elements, whereas the organizational and behavioral dynamics are still largely understudied. This study aims to explore the idea that coworking users’ proactivity (more specifically, job crafting behaviors) plays a key role in positively influencing creative performance, and that such a relationship is better understood by examining both the mediating role of work meaningfulness and the moderating role of knowledge sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on survey data from a relevant sample of users in Italian coworking spaces. A mediated-moderated analysis is used.
Findings
The “approach” job crafting behaviors have a significant influence on creative performance, via work meaningfulness, whereas this is not true for “avoidance” job crafting behaviors. Knowledge sharing plays a significant moderating role in the former relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The theoretical, practical and social implications discussed help to further the discourse surrounding the relationships between job crafting, creative performance and coworking spaces. This unique work setting enables a variety of value appropriation pathways to be promoted and supported. As such, coworking spaces are also “laboratories” where the future of work organization can be better understood.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing coworking spaces literature as it is one of the very few that sheds light on users’ behaviors, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first one to consider job crafting as a relevant variable. It also contributes to the current job crafting literature by helping to clarify why available studies have yielded mixed results in examining the relationship between job crafting and creative performance.
Recent conceptualizations of trends in the structure of U.S. industry have focused on the relative importance of markets, hierarchies, and hybrid intermediate forms. This paper advances the discussion by distinguishing three ideal-typical forms of organization and their corresponding coordination mechanisms: market/price, hierarchy/authority, and community/trust. Different institutions combine the three forms/mechanisms in different proportions. Economic and organizational theory have shown that, compared to trust, price and authority are relatively ineffective means of dealing with knowledge-based assets. Therefore, as knowledge becomes increasingly important in our economy, we should expect high-trust institutional forms to proliferate.
A review of trends in employment relations, interdivisional relations, and interfirm relations finds evidence suggesting that the effect of growing knowledge-intensity may indeed be a trend toward greater reliance on trust. There is also reason to believe that the form of trust most effective in this context is a distinctively modern kind—“reflective trust”—as opposed to traditionalistic, “blind” trust. Such a trend to reflective trust appears to threaten the privileges of currently dominant social actors, and these actors' resistance, in combination with the complex interdependencies between price, authority, and trust mechanisms, imparts a halting character to the trend. But the momentum of this trend nevertheless appears to be self-reinforcing, which suggests that it may ultimately challenge the foundations of our capitalist form of society while simultaneously creating the foundations of a new, postcapitalist form.
Many scholars assume that the fundamental questions about work design have been answered. However, a global shift from manufacturing economies to service and knowledge economies has dramatically altered the nature of work in organizations. To keep pace with these important and rapid changes, work design theory and research is undergoing a transformation. We trace the highlights of two emerging viewpoints on work design: relational perspectives and proactive perspectives. Relational perspectives focus on how jobs, roles, and tasks are more socially embedded than ever before, based on increases in interdependence and interactions with coworkers and service recipients. Proactive perspectives capture the growing importance of employees taking initiative to anticipate and create changes in how work is performed, based on increases in uncertainty and dynamism. Together, these two perspectives challenge the widely held belief that new developments in work design theory and research are no longer needed. Our review charts the central contributions and unanswered questions from these relational and proactive perspectives with the goal of inspiring renewed interest in advancing theory, research, and practice on work design.
Over the past decade, the study of management and organization theory has experienced a significant ‘turn to work’. This turn to work has not, however, been a return to the study of the forms of work that have been the traditional focus of organizational scholars. Instead, the turn to work involves a widespread scholarly engagement with new forms of work that involve individuals and organizations purposefully and strategically expending effort to affect their social-symbolic context. For example, boundary work (Gieryn, 1983; Kreiner et al., 2009), identity work (Ibarra and Barbulescu, 2010; Watson, 2008) and institutional work (Lawrence and Suddaby, 2006; Zietsma and Lawrence, 2010) have all become important areas of scholarship despite being largely unknown or unexplored just a few years ago.
Although the streams of research on various new forms of work are largely disconnected at present, we argue that together they represent an important trend in the study of management and organization with important ramifications for researchers interested in strategic organization. In this essay, we introduce the turn to work, explain what it is and why it has occurred, discuss its implications for the field of strategic organization and propose some new research directions for strategic organization that incorporate this turn to work.
In this paper, we address debate about social constructionism and critical realism by examining current concerns relating to the carbon economy, climate change and related ecological issues. At the same time, we consider the implications of our discussion for processes of governance. Following an introduction, we present three varied sets of argument by ourselves as Editors. We then conclude the paper by briefly introducing each of the papers included in this Themed Section.
Mobile professionals can choose to work in offices, executive suites, home offices, or other spaces. But some have instead chosen to work at coworking spaces: open-plan office environments in which they work alongside other unaffiliated professionals for a fee of approximately $250 a month. But what service are they actually purchasing with that monthly fee? How do they describe that service? From an activity theory perspective, what are its object, outcome, and actors? This article reports on a 20-month study that answers such questions.
This paper elaborates processes of identity construction and avowal among homeless street people, with two underlying and interconected objectives in mind: to advance understanding of the manner in wich individuals at the bottom of status systems attempt to generate identities that provide them with a measures of self-worth and dignity and to shed additional empirical and theoretical light on the relationships among role, identity, and self-concept. The data are from an ethnographic field study of homeless street people. "Identity talk" constitutes the primary form of "identity work" by means of which homeless street people construct and negotiate personal identities. Theree generic patterns of identity talk are alborated and illustrated: distancing, embracement, and fictive storytelling. Each form contains several subtypes that vary in usage according to the length of time one has spent on the streets. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of the findings and suggesting a number ...
In this chapter, we aim to provide a summary and synthesis of research on what we refer to as 'institutional work' - the purposive action of individuals and organizations aimed at creating, maintaining and disrupting institutions. Thus far, research on institutional work has been largely unconnected as such - literatures on institutional entrepreneurship and deinstitutionalization have emerged as semi-coherent research streams, but the overall focus has remained largely unarticulated. Thus, a key contribution of this chapter will be the provision of a framework that connects previously disparate studies of institutional work and the articulation of a research agenda for the area. By focusing on empirical work that has occurred in the past 1 5 years and mapping i t i n terms of the forms of institutional work that it has examined, we are able to both provide a first cataloguing of forms of institutional work and point to issues and areas that have been under-examined.
The traditional scientific approach to design extols the virtues of completeness. However, in environments characterized by continual change, there are challenges in adopting such an approach. We examine Linux and Wikipedia as two exemplary cases to explore the nature of design in such a protean world. Our observations highlight a pragmatic approach to design in which incompleteness is harnessed in a generative manner. This suggests a change in the meaning of the word ‘design’ itself — from one that separates the process of design from its outcome, to one that considers design as both the medium and outcome of action.
A significant body of research has addressed whether fixed internet use increases, decreases or supplements the ways in which people engage in residential and workplace settings, but few studies have addressed how wireless internet use in public and semi-public spaces influences social life. Ubiquitous wi-fi adds a new dimension to the debate over how the internet may influence the structure of community.Will wireless internet use facilitate greater engagement with co-located others or encourage a form of 'public privatism'? This article reports the findings of an exploratory ethnographic study of how wi-fi was used and influenced social interactions in four different settings: paid and free wi-fi cafes in Boston, MA and Seattle,WA.This study found contrasting uses for wireless internet and competing implications for community.Two types of practices, typified in the behaviors of 'true mobiles' and 'placemakers', offer divergent futures for how wireless internet use may influence social relationships.
People in different cultures have strikingly different construals of the self, of others, and of the interdependence of the 2. These construals can influence, and in many cases determine, the very nature of individual experience, including cognition, emotion, and motivation. Many Asian cultures have distinct conceptions of individuality that insist on the fundamental relatedness of individuals to each other. The emphasis is on attending to others, fitting in, and harmonious interdependence with them. American culture neither assumes nor values such an overt connectedness among individuals. In contrast, individuals seek to maintain their independence from others by attending to the self and by discovering and expressing their unique inner attributes. As proposed herein, these construals are even more powerful than previously imagined. Theories of the self from both psychology and anthropology are integrated to define in detail the difference between a construal of the self as independent and a construal of the self as interdependent. Each of these divergent construals should have a set of specific consequences for cognition, emotion, and motivation; these consequences are proposed and relevant empirical literature is reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This is a response to the Nowell and Boyd (2010) article printed in this journal titled: Viewing Community as Responsibility as Well as Resource: Deconstructing the Theoretical Roots of Psychological Sense of Community. In that article, they argued that the McMillan theory of Sense of Community is a simplistic, needs-based theory that excludes responsibility as a part of Sense of Community. They base their critique of McMillan's theory on March and Olsen's many articles. In this article, McMillan responds. He argues that Nowell and Boyd (2010) have yet to understand his theory and that they use a false dichotomy to critique it. He suggests that Third Position Thinking (Newbrough, 1995; Newbrough & McMillan, 2005) would help undo false dichotomies and provide a better description of the juxtaposition of human values. McMillan contends that responsibility is an inherent part of his theory. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
- This paper describes the process of inducting theory using case studies from specifying the research questions to reaching closure. Some features of the process, such as problem definition and construct validation, are similar to hypothesis-testing research. Others, such as within-case analysis and replication logic, are unique to the inductive, case-oriented process. Overall, the process described here is highly iterative and tightly linked to data. This research approach is especially appropriate in new topic areas. The resultant theory is often novel, testable, and empirically valid. Finally, framebreaking insights, the tests of good theory (e.g., parsimony, logical coherence), and convincing grounding in the evidence are the key criteria for evaluating this type of research.
Organizational research has long dealt with community-related themes such as organizational commitment, workgroup cohesion, psychological climate, and morale. More recently, psychological contracts and organizational citizenship behaviors have approached the concept of community in more specific terms (Rousseau, 1995; Graham & Organ, 1993; Van Dyne, Graham, & Dienesch, 1994). The present investigation integrated the existing literature on community-related variables. This theoretical and empirical foundation was used to operationalize the construct of psychological sense of community in the workplace (PSCW), develop a measurement system and assess its psychometric properties, and test an initial framework of antecedents and consequences of PSCW. A cross-organizational sample of 256 employees partially support the proposed framework. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Students of management are nearly unanimous (as are managers themselves) in believing that the contemporary business corporation is in a period of dizzying change. This book represents the first time that leading experts in sociology, law, economics, and management studies have been assembled in one volume to explain the varying ways in which contemporary businesses are transforming themselves to respond to globalization, new technologies, workforce transformation, and legal change. Together their essays, whose focal point is an emerging network form of organization, bring order to the chaotic tumble of diagnoses, labels, and descriptions used to make sense of this changing world. Following an introduction by the editor, the first three chapters--by Walter Powell, David Stark, and Eleanor Westney--report systematically on change in corporate structure, strategy, and governance in the United States and Western Europe, East Asia, and the former socialist world. They separate fact from fiction and established trend from extravagant extrapolation. This is followed by commentary on them: Reinier Kraakman affirms the durability of the corporate form; David Bryce and Jitendra Singh assess organizational change from an evolutionary perspective; Robert Gibbons considers the logic of relational contracting in firms; and Charles Tilly probes the deeper historical context in which firms operate. The result is a revealing portrait of the challenges that managers face at the dawn of the twenty-first century and of how the diverse responses to those challenges are changing the nature of business enterprise throughout the world.
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I want to approach the issue of values by focusing on a set of organizations that strive to be high reliability organizations (HRO). Organizations such as nuclear power-generation plants, naval aircraft carriers, wildland firefighting crews, and emergency departments in hospitals aspire to produce high reliability performance under trying conditions with fewer than their fair share of accidents. Usually their aspirations succeed; occasionally they fail. For our purpose what is important is that the fate of these organizations often can be traced to the strength of their attachment to values or general principles concerning patterns of behavior that they hold in high regard. But what is crucial to this strength of attachment is the way in which it was achieved. In organizing for high reliability, values are the last thing to be crystallized, not the first. And it is this departure from conventional treatments of value driven behavior that has the potential to help us understand the mechanisms by which values-based leadership gains its legitimacy and effectiveness.
A significant body of research has addressed whether fixed internet use increases, decreases or supplements the ways in which people engage in residential and workplace settings, but few studies have addressed how wireless internet use in public and semi-public spaces influences social life. Ubiquitous wi-fi adds a new dimension to the debate over how the internet may influence the structure of community.Will wireless internet use facilitate greater engagement with co-located others or encourage a form of 'public privatism'? This article reports the findings of an exploratory ethnographic study of how wi-fi was used and influenced social interactions in four different settings: paid and free wi-fi cafes in Boston, MA and Seattle,WA.This study found contrasting uses for wireless internet and competing implications for community.Two types of practices, typified in the behaviors of 'true mobiles' and 'placemakers', offer divergent futures for how wireless internet use may influence social relationships.
This article introduces a new construct to the field of management called Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC). This is important because management scholars are calling for the creation of communities in organizations in an environment that lacks appropriate construct development. The aims of this article are threefold: (a) develop a working definition of PSOC via a review of the extant literature on PSOC from other disciplines with the goal of translating it into the domain of management, (b) synthesize findings from parallel literatures on the outcomes of PSOC with an eye toward exploring the relevance of such outcomes in management contexts, and (c) assess the value of PSOC as it relates to its uniqueness in relation to other prominent management constructs and its scope of applicability in a variety of management inquiry areas.
In this paper, we challenge the traditional understanding of organizational routines as creating inertia in organizations. We adapt Latour's distinction between ostensive and performative to build a theory that explains why routines are a source of change as well as stability. The ostensive aspect of a routine embodies what we typically think of as the structure. The performative aspect embodies the specific actions, by specific people, at specific times and places, that bring the routine to life. We argue that the ostensive aspect enables people to guide, account for, and refer to specific performances of a routine, and the performative aspect creates, maintains, and modifies the ostensive aspect of the routine. We argue that the relationship between ostensive and performative aspects of routines creates an on-going opportunity for variation, selection, and retention of new practices and patterns of action within routines and allows routines to generate a wide range of outcomes, from apparent stability to considerable change. This revised ontology of organizational routines provides a better explanation of empirical findings than existing theories of routines and has implications for a wide range of organizational theories.
We hypothesized that people who can better disclose their “true” or inner self to others on the Internet than in face-to-face settings will be more likely to form close relationships on-line and will tend to bring those virtual relationships into their “real” lives. Study 1, a survey of randomly selected Internet newsgroup posters, showed that those who better express their true self over the Internet were more likely than others to have formed close on-line relationships and moved these friendships to a face-to-face basis. Study 2 revealed that the majority of these close Internet relationships were still intact 2 years later. Finally, a laboratory experiment found that undergraduates liked each other more following an Internet compared to a face-to-face initial meeting.
The Great Good Place argues that "third places" - where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work and home, and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation - are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of democracy.
“Public” life once meant that vital part one’s life outside the circle of family and close friends. Connecting with strangers in an emotionally satisfying way and yet remaining aloof from them was seen as the means by which the human animal was transformed into the social – the civilized – being. And the fullest flowering of that public life was realized in the 18th Century in the great capital cities of Europe.
Sennett shows how our lives today are bereft of the pleasures and reinforcements of this lost interchange with fellow citizens. He shows how, today, the stranger is a threatening figure; how silence and observation have become the only ways to experience public life, especially street life, without feeling overwhelmed ; how each person believes in the right, in public, to be left alone. And he makes clear how, because of the change in public life, private life becomes distorted as we of necessity focus more and more on ourselves, on increasingly narcissistic forms of intimacy and self-absorption. Because of this, our personalities cannot fully develop: we lack much of the ease, the spirit of play, the kind of discretion that would allow us real and pleasurable relationships with those whom we may never know intimately.
Preface to this edition, by Steven Lukes Introduction to the 1984 edition, by Lewis Coser Introduction to this edition, by Steven Lukes Durkheim's Life and Work: Timeline 1858-1917 Suggestions for Further Reading Original Translator's Note The Division of Labour in Society by Emile Durkheim Preface to the First Edition (1893) Preface to the Second Edition (1902) Introduction PART I: THE FUNCTION OF THE DIVISION OF LABOUR 1. The Method of Determining This Function 2. Mechanical Solidarity, or Solidarity by Similarities 3. Solidarity Arising from the Division of Labour, or Organic Solidarity 4. Another Proof of the Preceding Theory 5. The Increasing Preponderance of Organic: Solidarity and its Consequences 6. The Increasing Preponderance of Organic: Solidarity and its Consequences (cont.) 7. Organic Solidarity and Contractual Solidarity PART II: THE CAUSES AND CONDITIONS 8. The Progress of the Division of Labour and of Happiness 9. The Causes 10. Secondary Factors 11. Secondary Factors (cont.) 12. Consequences of the Foregoing PART III: THE ABNORMAL FORMS 13. The Anomic Division of Labour 14. The Forced Division of Labour 15. Another Abnormal Form Conclusion Original Annotated Table of Contents
The relationship between sense of community and subjective well-being (SWB) was tested by conducting telephone interviews with three random samples in South Carolina and Alabama (ns = 151, 399, and 442). Respondents answered the 17-item Sense of Community Scale (Davidson & Cotter, 1986), a measure of three facets of SWB (happiness, worrying, and personal coping), and questions about their demographic characteristics and subjective evaluations of their community. Partial correlation coefficients were computed between sense of community and SWB, partialling out the influence of demographic and community-evaluation variables. Sense of community was significantly related to SWB in all three samples. The effects were especially pronounced for the happiness facet of SWB. Implications are drawn for theory and intervention, and recommendations are made for further research.