Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms
Thesis: S.M. in Management Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2018
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2019
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122833 |
| _version_ | 1826201334588637184 |
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| author | Conzon, Vanessa Mariangela. |
| author2 | Erin Kelly and Susan Silbey. |
| author_facet | Erin Kelly and Susan Silbey. Conzon, Vanessa Mariangela. |
| author_sort | Conzon, Vanessa Mariangela. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis: S.M. in Management Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2018 |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:49:59Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/122833 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:49:59Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1228332019-11-21T03:04:53Z Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms Conzon, Vanessa Mariangela. Erin Kelly and Susan Silbey. Sloan School of Management. Sloan School of Management Sloan School of Management. Thesis: S.M. in Management Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2018 Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-41). Using data from a 16-month ethnographic study of a pharmaceutical company research unit, I examine how managers can successfully manage expert contractors. These expert scientists perform essential work in advancing drug development projects. However, they often complete work late, refuse to perform requested work, and act in other ways that managers believe impedes project progress. Although the literature on expert management suggests that these challenges can be overcome by rewarding, punishing, and socializing experts, these practices are difficult to implement when expert workers are contracted from outside of the organization. I show how managers can manage expert contractors through a process I label occupational invocation. In this process, managers first publicly highlight experts' breaches of shared occupational norms. Managers then reintegrate experts by providing them with an opportunity to display a correction of their actions such that they align with the community's expectations as well as the contracting organization's interests. By referencing common norms, occupational invocation helps enable the management of expert contractors. by Vanessa Mariangela Conzon. S.M. in Management Research S.M.inManagementResearch Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management 2019-11-12T17:37:18Z 2019-11-12T17:37:18Z 2018 2018 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122833 1126277181 eng MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 41 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Sloan School of Management. Conzon, Vanessa Mariangela. Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title | Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title_full | Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title_fullStr | Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title_short | Occupational invocation : managing experts through occupational norms |
| title_sort | occupational invocation managing experts through occupational norms |
| topic | Sloan School of Management. |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122833 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT conzonvanessamariangela occupationalinvocationmanagingexpertsthroughoccupationalnorms |