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Question 01

Organizational ethnography is distinctive because:

a) it is concerned with social behaviour.

b) it is conducted across a larger number of environments.

c) it is concerned with social relations that are related to goal-directed activities.

d) its methodological reputation is subject to more intense challenge.

Question 02

What is the difference between ethnography and participant observation?

a) Ethnography is concerned with an organisations culture, whereas participant observation is concerned with an organisations strategy.

b) Ethnography refers to the method and the written product of the research, whereas participant observation refers only to the method.

c) Ethnography is more subjective, whereas participant observation is more objective.

d) Ethnography allows for a longer period of immersion in a particular context than participant observation.

Question 03

Which of the following is not an example of a 'classic' organizational ethnography?

a) Beynon's (1975) study of the Ford Motor Company's Halewood plant.

b) Wylie's (1972) study of door to door salesmen.

c) Roy's (1958) period as a machine operator.

d) Watson's (1994) investigation into managerial identity.

Question 04

When arranging access which attribute should ethnographers be prepared to adopt?

a) Ignorance.

b) Arrogance.

c) Invisibility.

d) Opportunism.

Question 05

Which of the following is an ethical question that researchers undertaking a covert ethnography should ask themselves?

a) What form should the findings be published in?

b) Does it ensure the principle of 'informed consent'?

c) How can the response rate be increased?

d) All of the above.

Question 06

A researcher conducting an overt ethnography which involves them fully experiencing the job of a call centre operator adopts which of the following roles?

a) Complete participant.

b) Participant-as-observer.

c) Observer-as-participant.

d) Complete observer.

Question 07

To 'go native' means:

a) the researcher takes paid employment from the organisation they are researching.

b) the researcher adopts a covert role.

c) the researcher loses sight of their role as a researcher.

d) the researcher begins a relationship with a key informant.

Question 08

Why might an ethnographer wish to avoid taking an active work-role as part of their ethnography?

a) They might be asked to become involved in something illegal or requiring deception.

b) They might expect to be paid for any work that they do.

c) They might believe that this will exploit there position as researcher.

d) They might fear 'going native'.

Question 09

Which of the following is not a general principle for researchers to bear in mind when they are taking field notes?

a) Notes should be vivid and clear.

b) Copious amounts of notes should be taken if possible.

c) If notes are taken immediately after something interesting has been seen they can be written up when the data collection has finished.

d) Tape recorders can be used to take brief notes.

Question 10

Why is bringing an ethnography to an end often difficult for ethnographers?

a) Because of the enjoyment that many ethnographers experience.

b) Because it is a relaxed form of data collection.

c) Because it is unstructured it lacks an obvious end point.

d) Because writing up is a task to be avoided.

Oxford University Press, Online Resource Centre, Chapter 17.

Chapter 17

Instructions