Session Information
32 SES 11 A, Care as Theory, Methodology and Ethics for Organizational Education Research in the Times of Uncertainty
Symposium
Contribution
Research objective and theoretical framework This presentation explores how care can guide responses to uncertainties in organizational settings, emphasizing its relevance in organizational learning amid uncertainty. Care is seen as foundational in human and nonhuman relational interdependency, urging a care ethical lens to address organizational learning complexities. The presentation establishes connections between John Dewey's pragmatic philosophy and feminist care ethicists (Nel Noddings, Joan Tronto, Maria Puig de la Bellacasa), enriching the understanding of care in organizational learning. Dewey's insights on doubt, uncertainty, transactional learning, and societal democratization (1916; 1949) align with care ethics principles rooted in relational interdependency; Noddings' moral obligations to the specific other (1984), Tronto's political embeddedness of care (1993), and Puig de la Bellacasa's posthuman perspective on interdependency (2012). Methods The study, rooted in Dewey's philosophy, employs shadowing (McDonald & Simpson, 2014) as an ethnographic method in a participatory doctoral study on elderly care work and education, immersing in the experiences of professionals in nursing homes and a vocational education school in Denmark. Analytic workshops involving stakeholders from diverse roles facilitated collaborative inquiry. Examining shared situations revealed the intricate link between uncertainty, learning, and care principles. The study’s analysis focused on a narrative representing uncertainty, learning, and caring, selected for its aesthetic qualities (Dewey, 1934; Møller, 2022). Integrating Nel Noddings' care ethics enriched the pragmatic framework, offering insights into interdependence, vulnerability, and power dynamics. The paper aims to expand the care ethic analysis by including Tronto and Puig de la Bellacasa's perspectives, constructing a theoretical framework that synthesizes Dewey's philosophy with feminist care ethics, emphasizing their relevance in organizational learning amid uncertainty. Conclusions, outcome, results Exploring the link between care and uncertainty identifies care as a catalyst for inclusive organizational learning, guiding decision-making amid uncertainty, and fostering an environment where diverse perspectives contribute to meaningful outcomes for our shared environments. Care ethics, emphasizing attentiveness, responsiveness, and responsibility, serve as constructs for understanding how organizations navigate uncertainty and foster learning. Reciprocity exists between learning and caring, where learning requires a sense of caring, and caring relies on continuous learning. Cultivation a sense of care requires learning about the diverse perspectives and specific situations of others. Genuine care motivates seeking knowledge, enhancing capabilities, and fostering commitment to well-being of individuals, organizations, and worlds we live in. A caring organizational culture encourages open communication, collaboration, and a willingness to experiment and learn from uncertainties.
References
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education. In J. A. Boydston (Ed.), The middle works, 1899 - 1924, Volume: 9 (1980th ed.). Southern Illinois University Press. Dewey, J. (1934). Art as experience (1980th ed.). The Berkeley Publishing Group. Dewey, J. & Bentley, A. F. (1949). Knowing and the known. Beacon Press. McDonald, S., & Simpson, B. (2014). Shadowing research in organizations: The methodological debates. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 9(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-02-2014-1204 Møller, B. (2022). Care practice as aesthetic co-creation: A somaesthetic perspective on care work. Journal of Somaesthetics, 8(1), 45–58. https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/JOS/article/view/7380/6274 Noddings, N. (1984). Caring: A feminine approach to ethics and moral education. University of California Press Puig de la Bellacasa, M. (2012). ‘Nothing comes without its world’: thinking with care. The sociological review, 60(2), 197-216. Tronto, J. (1993). Moral Boundaries: A Political Argument for an Ethic of Care (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003070672
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