Chapter 2 - Anthropology And Business

Question 1

Start Of Anthropology

Answer 1

Began in Rome in the 1930’s and later colonial authorities began to employ Anthropologists.

• Relationship was that many governments (US and UK) hired anthropologists to better understand the people that colonized.

They would help control colonial populations by understanding their customs and politics.

They tended to work in indigenous tribes.

They came to understand that societies were holistic (different).

• Anthropology moved away from this and became socially meaningful and useful.
• Came to have a holistic view and understanding of those societies – came to understand that these primitive societies were in fact more complex, which had cultures of their own. Kinship system, ways of thinking etc. Different from western customs.

Question 2

“The Chrysanthemum And The Sword”

Ruth Benedict

Answer 2

“The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences”

• Commissioned by US Army to better understand Japanese troops
• Makes the case that anthropologists should nnot just write about cultures, but they need to understand about cultures and show respect to these cultures.

Question 3

Consumption In Context

Answer 3

E.G. A Fiat in Italy.

• By putting consumption in context we come to understand the cultural dimensions that people attribute to commodities like cars.

Question 4

Hawthorn Experiments

Answer 4

This was the first study of organisational culture. It was a chance encounter that helped anthropology enter the business world

Elton Mayo and Lyod Wagner discovered in a telephone assembly factory in Illinois that workers did not obey management demands for productivity and efficiency, rather the unwritten rules between workers based on equality and informal culture.

More emphasis should be placed on the “unwritten rules”.

Question 5

Anthropology To Business Timeline

Answer 5

Colonialism

Hawthorn Experiments

1950’s America: Emphasis was still on productivity and efficiency.

1970s: start of Cold War. Then opening up of markets, globalization, liberalism. Trade picked up and competition between countries picked up.

Rising competition between countries etc – managers started taking notice that it was important to know the cultural setting and cultural dimensions of branding and marketing etc.
Another factor that aided business anthropology was: New technology sector

• Blooming relationship between anthropology, technology, and business – the opening up of markets, globalization, mingling of consumption cultures that brought anthropology and business together. Made managers more aware of the importance of understanding culture within business.

Elabs:
another research center : ‘Bowtie’ research model: notices patterns of consumption in everyday culture. Helped them better understand what consumers needed , and how to design better products

Question 6

Methods used by Anthropologists

Answer 6

1) Netography (I.e. Tracking discussion groups)
2) Photo ethnography
3) Biography
4) Film
5) Photography
6) Interviews
7) Ethnography

Question 7

How Is Anthropology Useful?

Answer 7

It is useful both internally and externally:

To study consumer behaviour 
To understand local culture 
To understand organisational culture 
To find ways of motivating the workforce
To help businesses adapt to new markets

Question 8

How Is Anthropology Challenging?

Answer 8

It is difficult for people working in the business to carry out Anthropology about the business. You may need some sort of outside perspective e.g. From a Consultant.

Waste of resources in changing markets.
If in a multi-cultural area it may be difficult to cater for all cultures
Costly e.g. Adapting to different cultures.
The business world is fast changing and therefore not taking may be slow

Question 9

Anthropology recap:

Answer 9

• Anthropology is about understanding different cultures, participant observation, thick description, anthropologists emerge themselves and come to understand things.
• Anthropologists understand other peoples perspectives, by spending prolonged amounts of time with people – come to understand their culture, their customs, their ways of thinking and being in the world.
¬ Changing relationship between anthropology and business
¬ How is anthropology a business
¬ What are the tools of organisational and consumption ethnography
¬ Q and A

Question 10

What happened in the late 1980s/early 1990s that allowed anthropologists into the business world?

Answer 10

• Firstly, a widening of the uses of ethnography, not just used by anthropologists.
• Secondly, rapid development of technological advancements (ICTs, the internet, etc)