Assignment: Short commentary

THE BRIEF

Select 1 of the papers contained in the list below. Read and study it in depth. Submit a short individually written 1000 word summary and critique of the paper you selected.

Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the main themes in their selected paper AND to communicate those effectively AND to critically comment on the contents of the paper.

List of papers for selection:

1. Parker, M (2011) 'Organizing the Circus: The Engineering of Miracles' Organization Studies, 32/4: 555-569.

2. Parker, M (2011) 'The Wild West, the Industrial East and the Outlaw', Culture and Organization, 17/4: 347-365.

3. Parker, M (2005) 'Organizational Gothic', Culture and Organization, 11/3: 153-166.

4. Parker, M (2009) 'Pirates, Merchants and Anarchists:  Representations of International Business', Management and Organizational History, 4/2: 167-185.

5. Parker, M (2009) 'Tony Soprano on Management: Culture and Economy in Fact and Fiction', Journal of Cultural Economy, 2/3: 379-392.

6. Rhodes, C and Parker, M (2008) 'Images of Organizing in Popular Culture' Organization, 15/5: 627-637.

7. Corbett M. (1995) 'Celluloid Projections: Images of Technology and Organizational Futures in Contemporary Science Fiction Film'. Organization 2: 467-488.

8. Parker M. (2006) The Counter Culture of Organisation: Towards a Cultural Studies of Representations of Work. Consumption, Markets and Culture, 9: 1-15.

9. Rhen A and SklÖld D. (2005) 'I Love the Dough': Rap Lyrics as a Minor Economic Literature. Culture and Organization 11: 17-31.

10. Rhodes C. (2004) Utopia in Popular Management Writing and the Music of Bruce Springsteen: Do You Believe in the Promised Land? Consumption, Markets and Culture, 7: 1-20.

Additional instructions:

• You are limited to 1000 words
• Do not merely summarize the paper, also critically comment on the main points
• To organize your thoughts on the selected paper the form contained in the appendix to this assignment brief may help. It will help you to focus your thoughts.

PAPER FOCUS:

What is the key focus/argument of the paper?

Why is the paper's focus important for Management/HR students?

EVIDENCE: 

If qualitative/conceptual:

• What arguments and comparisons are made to support the main point?
• What pieces of evidence are used to build the argument?
• Why are these convincing/ not convincing?

If quantitative:

• What evidence or information is given to support the points, inferences, or arguments?
• Is the evidence a fact or measurement about something that has actually occurred?
• Are data or measurements presented? If so, what are they?

For both:

• Are the article's main claims supported or contradicted by the material in the lectures and text (giving examples)?

RELIABILITY:  What is the source of the information or evidence?  Does the evidence have an identified source (for example a specific person, organization, publication, web site, journal, or book)?  Is the source a primary source (original author) or is it secondary or further removed (textbook)?  If authorities are cited, what credentials do they have? Do you think the source is credible? Why or why not?

PERSUASIVENESS:  Is the evidence consistent with the argument?  Is the argument convincing?  If yes, explain why.  If not, explain why not.  Is there another way to interpret the evidence?  If there is insufficient evidence for you to judge the argument, what specific additional evidence would be needed for you to judge the validity of the claim?

EVALUATION:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article?
• What did you learn from it?
• What is the practical usefulness of the article, and for whom is it useful?
• Would you recommend it? To whom? Why?