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Intending Engineering Work : A Conceptualisation of Engineers´ Understanding of Innovation through the Encounter with their Own Practice

Schaefer, Stephan LU (2010) EASST010
Abstract
Innovation is arguably one of the present-day buzzwords pervading economic, social as well as cultural life. The innovation concept however is highly ambiguous. Nevertheless most (positivistic) innovation studies employ seemingly “clear-cut” notions of innovation circumventing its highly elusive nature. These “clear-cut” innovation concepts are built on pre-conceived ontological assumptions. Interpretive research on the other hand either falls into a rationalistic trap or assumes absolute precedence of language. What is lacking are studies which embrace the ambiguous nature of innovation. In the following paper I intent to conceptualise how engineers come to understand innovation and how the creation of a contemplative space induced by... (More)
Innovation is arguably one of the present-day buzzwords pervading economic, social as well as cultural life. The innovation concept however is highly ambiguous. Nevertheless most (positivistic) innovation studies employ seemingly “clear-cut” notions of innovation circumventing its highly elusive nature. These “clear-cut” innovation concepts are built on pre-conceived ontological assumptions. Interpretive research on the other hand either falls into a rationalistic trap or assumes absolute precedence of language. What is lacking are studies which embrace the ambiguous nature of innovation. In the following paper I intent to conceptualise how engineers come to understand innovation and how the creation of a contemplative space induced by their own practices breeds multiple understandings of innovation and what implications this might entail for the organisation. For empirical illustration I draw on material from a longitudinal case study of a high-technology company. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
pages
20 pages
conference name
EASST010
conference location
Trento, Italy
conference dates
2010-09-02 - 2010-09-04
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
076db004-479a-494a-8ec0-2fa003bd89d3
alternative location
http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucessjb/EASST%202010/Schaefer%20EASST%202010.pdf
date added to LUP
2017-04-24 17:37:44
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:31:34
@misc{076db004-479a-494a-8ec0-2fa003bd89d3,
  abstract     = {{Innovation is arguably one of the present-day buzzwords pervading economic, social as well as cultural life. The innovation concept however is highly ambiguous. Nevertheless most (positivistic) innovation studies employ seemingly “clear-cut” notions of innovation circumventing its highly elusive nature. These “clear-cut” innovation concepts are built on pre-conceived ontological assumptions. Interpretive research on the other hand either falls into a rationalistic trap or assumes absolute precedence of language. What is lacking are studies which embrace the ambiguous nature of innovation. In the following paper I intent to conceptualise how engineers come to understand innovation and how the creation of a contemplative space induced by their own practices breeds multiple understandings of innovation and what implications this might entail for the organisation. For empirical illustration I draw on material from a longitudinal case study of a high-technology company.}},
  author       = {{Schaefer, Stephan}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Intending Engineering Work : A Conceptualisation of Engineers´ Understanding of Innovation through the Encounter with their Own Practice}},
  url          = {{http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucessjb/EASST%202010/Schaefer%20EASST%202010.pdf}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}