The situated organization : case studies in the pragmatics of communication research

What happens when a solid foothold in pragmatics interacts with novel case studies in communication research? This innovative work presents theories and reflects on them through empirical studies. It offers fundamental insights into organizations from a communication perspective, highlighting the essential role of communication in understanding organizational dynamics. These insights extend beyond communication studies into organization science, management, information systems, and enterprise engineering. The book develops a conceptual framework based on the idea of "organization-as-thirdness," applying concepts from semiotics, philosophy of language, and ethnomethodology to demonstrate the constructive role of communication in organizations. It explores how members understand and recognize their organizations through communication practices, presenting an alternative viewpoint to the "organization-as-network" concept. Instead, it views organizations as configurations of agencies and their fields of practice. This comprehensive and well-written text, enriched by case studies that bring theory to life, serves as a systematic introduction for students at all levels in organizational communication, guiding them in conducting empirical field research.