Ann Cunliffe - IAM 2013 - Reflexive Practice

Leeds University Business School

REFLEXIVE PRACTICE: INTEGRATING

SELF, SCHOLARSHIP AND LEARNING

Ann L. Cunliffe

Professor of Organization Studies

Irish Academy of Management ALC 2013

How might we ‘practice’ in more

thoughtful ways and ‘theorise’ in more

relevant ways?

Integrating Communities of Learning

and Practice


Theory

“…is a statement of

concepts and their

interrelationships that

shows how and/or why a

phenomenon occurs.” (Corley & Gioia, 2011: 12)

Practice

Activities, behaviours and

interactions oriented to

particular goals, utilizing

specific methods,

processes and/or tools,

and providing an

identity. (Sandberg & Tsoukas, 2011: 343)


A Widening Gap?

The original passion for social justice, economic

equality, human rights, sustainable environment,

political freedom or simply a better world, that

drew so many of us to sociology, is channeled

into the pursuit of academic credentials.

(Michael Burawoy, 2005: 5).


Integrating Theory, Practice

and Learning

• Impact case studies.

• Engaged scholarship (Van de Ven, 2007)

• Insider/outsider research teams (Bartunek & Reis, 1996)

• Action research/action learning (Reason & Bradbury, 2001)

• Co-produced research (e.g., Marcos & Denyer, 2012)

• Reflective practice (Kolb, 1975; Schön 1983)

• Reflexive practice (Cunliffe, 2004, 2013)


Reflective and Reflexive Practice

Are not the same….

Reflection ‘on’:

A stepping back - a rational and reasoning being with

an inner consciousness, making logical sense of an

outside world.

Reflexivity ‘in’:

A living in – we are always selves-in-relation-to-

others, both shaping/shaped by our social world.


Reflection

“Active, persistent, and

careful consideration of

any belief or supposed

form of knowledge in the

light of the grounds that

support it, and the further

conclusions to which it

tends.” (Dewey, 1997: 6)

Steve Franks


Reflexive Practice

Questioning the relationship between ourselves and

others: how we see the world, our assumptions/what we

take for granted and the impact, our responsibility for

‘constructing’ life/self/social (Cunliffe, 2009)


Reflective or Reflexive?

Questioning taken-for-

granted theories,

practices and policies.

Asking what is said and

not said. Accepting that

there are different

perspectives.

Comparison to pre-

established

categories/theories/model

s. Application of theories,

models and methods to

experience, without

question. Coming to a

common understanding of

a pre-established view.


Reflexive Practice and Self

“The basic practical-moral problem in life is not what to do but

[who to be]” (Shotter & Cunliffe, 2002)

“Managing is therefore about who we are, because our

actions, our ways of making sense and shaping our

world are not separate from us, they do not stem from

a detached knowledge of the world, but are intimately

linked to who we are, what we feel and say, and how

we engage with our surroundings.” (Cunliffe, 2013)


Critically-Reflexive Practice

Examine assumptions that there is a rational way of managing organizations.

Question what is being taken for granted.

Examine ‘normal’ strategies, policies, programs and organizational practices

Recognize the need to encourage and discuss competing interests in decision making processes.

Encourage organizational members to question assumptions and actions and their impact on the organization and the community at large.

Engage in dialogue that is critical and open.


Self Reflexivity

… explore how we create understandings from within our

ongoing, shared, dialogical relationships.

Participants are embodied, culturally-grounded with

embedded views and presuppositions.

Recognize the many voices active in shaping meaning.

That we are actively, spontaneously and momentarily

engaged – in liminal space - in the process of imagining

‘realities’.

Think about our truth claims and ‘methods’


Reflexive Practice: ‘practicing’ in more

thoughtful ways and ‘theorising’ in more

relevant ways….

Understanding:

‘practice’ – who we are in the world and our responsibilities for

acting and relating with others.

‘theory’ – embedded ways of making life sensible (Cunliffe, 2013),

practical theories, action-guiding anticipatory understandings (Shotter, 2008).

Noticing

Understanding

Relating