Abstract

The use of ethnographic methods in construction management research is increasing as a means of revealing local and often unspoken ways of knowing and achieving new insights into the enduring challenges of the industry. Impression management activities, however, challenge the ethnographic researcher. Impression management happens when observees act in a different way than they would routinely, due to the presence of an audience. In the paper, we draw on data collected as a part of a wider ethnographic study to illustrate how the relationship between observer and observees can be understood through the lens of impression management. In particular, we show how the researcher assumes a dual role as both an audience and a storyteller in ethnographic studies. The researcher can thus be seen as an audience for the observees in their attempts to present themselves as agreeable and perform accordingly in front of the researcher as well as each other. This happens in part, as the observees attribute the researcher the role as storyteller, knowing that accounts of their practice and performance may be communicated to the research community and the industry in general. While impression management complicates the relationship between the observees and the observer, and can be seen as a potential source of bias, we also suggest that it presents an opportunity for increased empirical robustness of ethnographic findings if acknowledged.

摘要

在建筑管理研究中，人种学方法的使用正在增加，这是一种揭示本地且通常不为人所知的方式的方法，以了解和获得对行业长期挑战的新见解。但是，印象管理活动对人种学研究人员提出了挑战。当观察者由于存在观众而以不同于常规的方式行事时，就会进行印象管理。在本文中，我们利用作为更广泛的人种学研究的一部分收集的数据来说明如何通过印象管理的角度来理解观察者和被观察者之间的关系。特别是，我们展示了研究人员如何在民族志研究中同时扮演听众和讲故事者的双重角色。因此，可以将研究人员视为观察者的听众，以使自己表现出令人满意的态度，并相应地在研究人员面前以及彼此之间进行表演。这部分是因为观察者将研究人员的角色赋予了讲故事者的角色，因为他们了解到他们的实践和表现可能会传达给研究团体和整个行业。虽然印象管理使观察者与观察者之间的关系复杂化，并且可以看作是潜在的偏见根源，但我们也建议，如果得到承认，它为民族志学发现的经验稳健性提供了机会。当观察者将研究者的角色称为讲故事者时，他们知道他们的实践和表现的叙述可能会传达给研究团体和整个行业。虽然印象管理使观察者与观察者之间的关系复杂化，并且可以看作是潜在的偏见根源，但我们也建议，如果得到承认，它为民族志学发现的经验稳健性提供了机会。当观察者将研究者的角色称为讲故事者时，他们知道他们的实践和表现的叙述可能会传达给研究团体和整个行业。虽然印象管理使观察者与观察者之间的关系复杂化，并且可以看作是潜在的偏见根源，但我们也建议，如果得到承认，它为民族志学发现的经验稳健性提供了机会。