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Decoding the Human Equation: An Exploration of the "About Anthropology in Business Podcast"
Author: Dr. Anya Sharma, PhD Anthropology, MBA, Experienced Ethnographer and Business Consultant
Publisher: EthnoBiz Insights, a leading publisher of anthropological business resources.
Editor: Liam O'Connell, MA Journalism, specializing in business and social science reporting.
Keywords: about anthropology in business podcast, anthropological business consulting, ethnography in business, user research, customer experience, design thinking, business anthropology, cultural intelligence, market research, qualitative research
Introduction: Why Anthropology Matters in Business
The business world often feels driven by numbers, spreadsheets, and market projections. But beneath the surface of data lies the human element – the complex tapestry of behaviors, motivations, and cultural influences that shape consumer decisions and drive organizational success. This is where anthropology comes in. This article explores the fascinating world of the “About Anthropology in Business Podcast,” a resource that bridges the gap between academic theory and practical application, illuminating how anthropological insights can revolutionize business strategies.
The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast": A Deep Dive
The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" isn't just another business podcast; it's a journey into the heart of human behavior within commercial contexts. Each episode unravels a different aspect of applying anthropological principles to real-world business challenges. Instead of focusing solely on statistics and market trends, the podcast delves into the "why" behind consumer choices, employee motivations, and organizational dynamics. It's about understanding the unspoken rules, the cultural nuances, and the emotional drivers that shape human interaction in business settings.
Personal Anecdote: Ethnographic Research in Action
During my own work as a business anthropologist, I was involved in a project with a major tech company facing declining user engagement with their flagship product. Traditional market research had yielded inconclusive results. The numbers suggested a problem, but not the source. We utilized ethnographic methods, observing users in their natural environments, conducting in-depth interviews, and analyzing their digital footprints. This fieldwork revealed a fundamental disconnect between the product's design and the users' actual needs and habits. The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" frequently highlights similar real-world examples, showcasing the power of qualitative research methods like ethnography to uncover hidden insights that quantitative data alone cannot reveal.
Case Study 1: Enhancing Customer Experience Through Ethnographic Observation
One episode of the "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" features a case study of a major coffee chain that experienced a decline in customer satisfaction. By embedding anthropologists in various stores, observing customer interactions, and conducting detailed interviews, the company identified several key pain points, from long lines and confusing ordering systems to a lack of personalized service. The insights gained led to significant improvements in store design, staff training, and customer service protocols, resulting in a measurable increase in customer satisfaction and repeat business. This episode emphasizes the effectiveness of ethnographic observation in understanding the customer journey and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Case Study 2: Improving Organizational Culture through Cultural Analysis
Another fascinating episode of the “About Anthropology in Business Podcast” focuses on a multinational corporation struggling with low employee morale and high turnover. Through cultural analysis – examining the shared values, beliefs, and practices within the organization – the podcast details how anthropologists helped to identify several underlying cultural issues that contributed to the problem. The insights facilitated targeted interventions to promote better communication, collaboration, and employee engagement, ultimately leading to improved productivity and retention. This case study highlights the importance of understanding organizational culture and how anthropological insights can create a more positive and productive work environment.
The Power of Context: Understanding the Cultural Landscape
The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" consistently emphasizes the importance of understanding context. It's not just about collecting data; it's about interpreting that data within its cultural framework. This includes considering factors such as language barriers, social norms, religious beliefs, and power dynamics. A product that's successful in one market might fail spectacularly in another due to cultural differences – a point the podcast effectively illustrates through various real-world examples.
Design Thinking and Anthropological Principles: A Powerful Synergy
Many episodes of the "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" explore the synergy between anthropological methods and design thinking. Both approaches emphasize a human-centered perspective, focusing on understanding user needs and developing solutions that address those needs effectively. By combining the ethnographic insights of anthropology with the iterative design process of design thinking, businesses can create products and services that are not only innovative but also deeply resonant with their target audiences.
Beyond the Podcast: Resources and Further Learning
The podcast also serves as a gateway to a wider world of resources and further learning. Each episode frequently links to relevant articles, books, and academic papers, providing listeners with opportunities to deepen their understanding of the topics discussed. This commitment to providing comprehensive information contributes significantly to the podcast's value and its role as a leading resource in the field of business anthropology.
Conclusion
The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" is a valuable resource for anyone interested in applying anthropological principles to improve business outcomes. By combining personal anecdotes, case studies, and expert interviews, the podcast effectively demonstrates the power of anthropological insights in understanding human behavior in business contexts. Whether you're a business leader, a marketing professional, a product designer, or simply curious about the intersection of anthropology and business, this podcast offers invaluable insights and practical strategies to unlock the potential of human-centered approaches.
FAQs
1. What is business anthropology? Business anthropology is the application of anthropological theories, methods, and perspectives to understand and solve business problems.
2. How does ethnography help businesses? Ethnography provides rich qualitative data through observation and interaction, revealing hidden insights about customer behavior and organizational culture.
3. What are the benefits of using anthropological methods in market research? Anthropological methods provide a deeper understanding of consumer motivations, needs, and cultural contexts, leading to more effective marketing strategies.
4. Can small businesses benefit from business anthropology? Absolutely! Even small businesses can benefit from understanding their customers and their internal culture more deeply.
5. How does anthropology contribute to product development? Anthropologists help design products and services that are better aligned with users' needs and cultural contexts.
6. What is the role of cultural intelligence in business? Cultural intelligence is the ability to understand and adapt to different cultures, crucial for success in international business.
7. How can I find more information about anthropology in business? The "About Anthropology in Business Podcast" is an excellent starting point, as well as resources from the American Anthropological Association.
8. Are there any certifications in business anthropology? While formal certifications are less common, various universities offer courses and programs specializing in business anthropology.
9. How can I hire a business anthropologist? You can search online for business anthropology consultants or contact universities with anthropology programs.
Related Articles:
1. "Ethnographic Research: A Practical Guide for Businesses": A comprehensive guide to conducting ethnographic research, covering methodologies, data analysis, and ethical considerations.
2. "The Power of Observation in Business Anthropology": A deep dive into the role of observation in gathering rich qualitative data about customer behavior and organizational dynamics.
3. "Cultural Intelligence: A Key Skill for Global Business Success": An exploration of the importance of cultural intelligence in navigating international markets and fostering cross-cultural collaboration.
4. "Applying Design Thinking Principles in Business Anthropology": An examination of how anthropological insights can enhance design thinking processes, leading to more user-centered and effective solutions.
5. "Case Study: How Anthropology Helped Redesign a Failing Product": A detailed case study illustrating the power of anthropological methods in identifying and addressing product design flaws.
6. "The Importance of Context in Business Anthropology": An exploration of the crucial role of context in interpreting data and understanding consumer behavior.
7. "Building Strong Organizational Culture: An Anthropological Perspective": A look at the role of anthropology in understanding and shaping organizational culture for increased employee engagement and productivity.
8. "Qualitative Research Methods in Business: A Comparison of Approaches": A comparison of different qualitative research methods used in business, including ethnography, interviews, and focus groups.
9. "The Future of Business Anthropology: Trends and Innovations": An exploration of emerging trends and innovations in the field of business anthropology, including the impact of technology and globalization.
| about anthropology in business podcast: Anthro-Vision Gillian Tett, 2021-06-08 In an age when business and finance are dominated by technology and data analysis, award-winning journalist and anthropology PhD Gillian Tett presents a radically different strategy for success: businesses and investors can revolutionize their understanding of behavior by studying consumers, markets, and organizations through an anthropological lens--Jacket. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Deep Listening Oscar Trimboli, 2017-06-10 Over 55% of your day is spent listening; yet only 2% of us have been trained in how to listen. What is poor listening costing you? Do you rush from meeting to meeting, your head buried in the last conversation you had, without time to think of the next? Or feel frustrated with unproductive discussions where the loudest in the room adds limited insight and drowns out everyone else? We usually think of these situations as communication problems; that we have not spoken our needs correctly or clearly. Yet, conflict, chaos and confusion are the costs of not listening. Many communication and listening books say the most important person in a conversation is the speaker - not true! This pocket-sized guide will help you to reconnect with your innate gift of deep listening, to create the right space to listen to yourself before you listen to others. You'll learn to listen beyond the words that are spoken, to add context and meaning and listen in to what's not being said. Deep Listening will help you move from confusion and conflict to thoughtful, insightful and powerful discussions that will transform not just your work, but your whole life. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Design Anthropology Wendy Gunn, Ton Otto, Rachel Charlotte Smith, 2013-10-24 Design Anthropology provides the definitive introduction to the field of design anthropology and the concepts, methods, practices and challenges of this exciting and emerging area of study |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Frontier Life in Ancient Peru Melissa A. Vogel, 2015-08-15 Thorough studies such as this are relatively rare in the northern Peruvian coast archaeological literature. This pioneering work is the first English-language excavation monograph detailing the material culture of the Casma polity.--Jonathan D. Kent, Metropolitan State College, Denver Melissa Vogel's Frontier Life in Ancient Peru offers a new perspective on ancient Peruvian life and geopolitics during a pivotal period of Andean cultural transformation between AD 900 and AD 1300. Focusing on the frontier site of Cerro la Cruz in the Chao Valley (located on the northern border of the Casma polity), this volume richly details the role of cross-cutting social networks and the dynamics of shifting political boundaries in prehistoric north coast Peru. The rise of the Chimú Empire caused the Chao Valley to become a border zone between the Casma and their encroaching neighbors. The artifacts recovered from sites in this area paint an illuminating picture of the everyday lives of ancient Andean people in this unique yet--until recently--under-studied culture. Vogel's systematic and comprehensive volume synthesizes information about the societies in this region while also expanding and clarifying the definition of Casma-style ceramics and architecture for comparison with other sites. As the first English-language work on the Casma polity, this is a powerful new resource for understanding an important pre-Inca culture as well as a fascinating investigation of the forces at work in the development and collapse of complex societies. Melissa A. Vogel is assistant professor of anthropology at Clemson University. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Ethnography and the Corporate Encounter Melissa Cefkin, 2010 Businesses and other organizations are increasingly hiring anthropologists and other ethnographically-oriented social scientists as employees, consultants, and advisors. The nature of such work, as described in this volume, raises crucial questions about potential implications to disciplines of critical inquiry such as anthropology. In addressing these issues, the contributors explore how researchers encounter and engage sites of organizational practice in such roles as suppliers of consumer-insight for product design or marketing, or as advisors on work design or business and organizational strategies. The volume contributes to the emerging canon of corporate ethnography, appealing to practitioners who wish to advance their understanding of the practice of corporate ethnography and providing rich material to those interested in new applications of ethnographic work and the ongoing rethinking of the nature of ethnographic praxis. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Culture Puzzle Mario Moussa, Derek Newberry, Greg Urban, 2021-06-22 Corporate culture is critical to any organizational change effort. This book offers a proven model for identifying and leveraging the essential elements of any culture. In a world that changes at a dizzying pace, what can leaders do to build flexible and adaptive workplaces that inspire people to achieve extraordinary results? According to the authors, the answer lies in recognizing and aligning the elusive forces—or the “puzzling” pieces—that shape an organization's culture. With a combined seventy-five years' worth of research, teaching, and consulting experience, Mario Moussa, Derek Newberry, and Greg Urban bring a wealth of knowledge to creating nimble organizations. Globally recognized business anthropologists and management experts, they explain how to access the full power of your culture by harnessing the Four Forces that drive it: Vision: Embrace a common purpose that illuminates shared aspirations and plans. Interest: Foster a deep commitment to authentic relationships and your organization's future. Habit: Establish routines and rituals that reinforce “the way we do things around here.” Innovation: Promote the constant tinkering that produces surprising new solutions to old problems. Filled with case studies, personal anecdotes, and solid, practical advice, this book includes a four-part Evaluator to help you build resilient organizations and teams. The Culture Puzzle offers the definitive playbook for thriving amid constant transformation. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: How to Think Like an Anthropologist Matthew Engelke, 2019-06-18 What is anthropology? What can it tell us about the world? Why, in short, does it matter? For well over a century, cultural anthropologists have circled the globe, from Papua New Guinea to suburban England and from China to California, uncovering surprising facts and insights about how humans organize their lives and articulate their values. In the process, anthropology has done more than any other discipline to reveal what culture means--and why it matters. By weaving together examples and theories from around the world, Matthew Engelke provides a lively, accessible, and at times irreverent introduction to anthropology, covering a wide range of classic and contemporary approaches, subjects, and practitioners. Presenting a set of memorable cases, he encourages readers to think deeply about some of the key concepts with which anthropology tries to make sense of the world--from culture and nature to authority and blood. Along the way, he shows why anthropology matters: not only because it helps us understand other cultures and points of view but also because, in the process, it reveals something about ourselves and our own cultures, too. --Cover. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Anthropologists in the Field Lynne Hume, Jane Mulcock, 2004 An excellent introduction to real-world ethnography, this book covers short- and long-term participant observation and ethnographic interviewing and uses diverse cultures as cases. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Build Better Worlds Michael Kilman, Kyra Wellstrom, 2021-02-09 |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Losing Culture David Berliner, 2020-05-15 We’re losing our culture... our heritage... our traditions... everything is being swept away. Such sentiments get echoed around the world, from aging Trump supporters in West Virginia to young villagers in West Africa. But what is triggering this sense of cultural loss, and to what ends does this rhetoric get deployed? To answer these questions, anthropologist David Berliner travels around the world, from Guinea-Conakry, where globalization affects the traditional patriarchal structure of cultural transmission, to Laos, where foreign UNESCO experts have become self-appointed saviors of the nation’s cultural heritage. He also embarks on a voyage of critical self-exploration, reflecting on how anthropologists handle their own sense of cultural alienation while becoming deeply embedded in other cultures. This leads into a larger examination of how and why we experience exonostalgia, a longing for vanished cultural heydays we never directly experienced. Losing Culture provides a nuanced analysis of these phenomena, addressing why intergenerational cultural transmission is vital to humans, yet also considering how efforts to preserve disappearing cultures are sometimes misguided or even reactionary. Blending anthropological theory with vivid case studies, this book teaches us how to appreciate the multitudes of different ways we might understand loss, memory, transmission, and heritage. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Professional Identities Shirley Ardener, Fiona Moore, 2007 In both professional and academic fields, there is increasing interest in the way in which white-collar workers engage with institutions and networks which are complex social constructions. Covering a wide variety of countries and types of organization, this volume examines the diverse ways in which individuals' ethnic, gender, corporate and professional identities interact. This book brings together fields often viewed in isolation: ethnographies of groups traditionally studied by anthropologists in new organisational contexts, and examinations of the role of identity in corporate life, opening up new perspectives on central areas of contemporary human activity. It will be of great interest to those concerned with practical management of institutions, as well as those of us who find ourselves working within them. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: EmTech Anthropology Matt Artz, Lora Koycheva, 2024-08-05 EmTech Anthropology: Careers at the Frontier emphasizes anthropology’s critical role at the frontier of emerging technologies (EmTech). The book explores the opportunities and challenges that arise as anthropologists venture into the territory of EmTech, pushing the boundaries of traditional academic approaches and methodologies. By sharing the stories and insights of early to mid-career anthropologists working in AI, robotics, Web3, cybersecurity, and other cutting-edge fields, the book provides a possible roadmap for future practitioners seeking to make an impact in the world of EmTech. These anthropologists demonstrate how the discipline's unique perspective and skills can be applied to address the complex ethical, social, and cultural implications of emerging technologies. The volume showcases how anthropologists can act as visionaries, innovators, and early adopters, shaping the trajectory of EmTech towards more ethical, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable futures. It highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, practical impact, and intervention in EmTech contexts while also acknowledging the need for anthropologists to challenge existing narratives and push the boundaries of the discipline itself. EmTech Anthropology: Stories from the Frontier serves as an essential resource for anthropologists, students, and professionals from related disciplines who are interested in exploring the frontiers of anthropology and emerging technologies. By offering a glimpse into the exciting possibilities and compelling insights that emerge when anthropology meets EmTech, the book inspires and guides the next generation of anthropological innovators. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Ethics in the Anthropology of Business Timothy de Waal Malefyt, Robert J Morais, 2017-05-02 Ethics in business is a major topic both in the social sciences and in business itself. Anthropologists, long attendant to the intersection of ethics and practice, are particularly well suited to offer vital insights on the subject. This timely collection considers a range of ethical issues in business through the examination of anthropologically informed theory and case examples. The meaning of ethical values, practices, and education are explored, as well as practical ways of implementing them, while the specific ethical challenges of industries such as advertising, market research, and design are considered. Contributions from anthropologists in business and academia promise a broad range of perspectives and add to the growing discussion on the ways anthropologists study, work, teach, and engage in a variety of industry settings. Engagingly written, Ethics in the Anthropology of Business will be of interest to a wide variety of audiences, including practicing anthropologists, current and future business leaders, and scholars and students from a range of social sciences. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Introducing Cultural Anthropology Brian M. Howell, Jenell Paris, 2019-06-18 What is the role of culture in human experience? This concise yet solid introduction to cultural anthropology helps readers explore and understand this crucial issue from a Christian perspective. Now revised and updated throughout, this new edition of a successful textbook covers standard cultural anthropology topics with special attention given to cultural relativism, evolution, and missions. It also includes a new chapter on medical anthropology. Plentiful figures, photos, and sidebars are sprinkled throughout the text, and updated ancillary support materials and teaching aids are available through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Power of Not Thinking Simon Roberts, 2020-05-14 SHORTLISTED FOR BEST SPECIALIST BUSINESS BOOK AT THE BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2021 Have you ever relied on your hand to remember your pin rather than your memory? Or acted out a golf stroke before going for it? Or listened to your gut on a big decision? In this insightful new book, leading business anthropologist Simon Roberts breaks down the revolutionary idea of embodied knowledge: the information that is unconsciously picked up by our body for use in every area of our lives. Drawing on his own experience working with some of the world's leading industry experts and looking at a range of real-life examples and cutting-edge science, Roberts explains the various ways in which our body acquires, retains and employs information and why we should learn to trust the instincts that inform the most crucial decisions and actions in our lives. The Power of Not Thinking shows why humans are capable of far more than we are currently led to believe. We just have to stop thinking and start trusting our bodies. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Anthropology of Corporate Social Responsibility Catherine Dolan, Dinah Rajak, 2016-03-01 The Anthropology of Corporate Social Responsibility explores the meanings, practices, and impact of corporate social and environmental responsibility across a range of transnational corporations and geographical locations (Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Peru, South Africa, the UK, and the USA). The contributors examine the expectations, frictions and contradictions the CSR movement is generating and addressing key issues such as the introduction of new forms of management, control, and discipline through ethical and environmental governance or the extent to which corporate responsibility challenges existing patterns of inequality rather than generating new geographies of inclusion and exclusion. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Working Across Cultures John Hooker, 2003 A guide to adapting and thriving within unfamiliar cultural settings challenges the notion that professional life interacts with culture only at the etiquette level, distinguishing between rule-based and relationship-based cultures while considering the roles of such factors as competition, security, and lifestyle. (Social Science) |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Innovation in the Anthropological Perspective Julia C. Gluesing, Christine Miller, Helga Wild, 2024-07-30 Innovation is a constant in human life and organization, arising from within a context-based culture of social structures and beliefs. This book re-examines the processes, practices, and mechanisms of innovation from an anthropological perspective, offering a theory of innovation as a dynamic multidimensional system. It uses methods and stories across a broad arc of time, place, social and cultural context, and subject matter. The chapters explore the intersection of virtual, local, and global dynamics and deepen our understanding of aspects and dimensions of innovation that challenge common perceptions, particularly in business and organizational environments. The approach aims to situate innovation in an integrated view of human and non-human ecologies, and to create common ground for a new form of research and practice. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Women in Archaeology Cheryl Claassen, 1994-06 The fourteen essays in this collection explore the place of women in archaeology in the twentieth century, arguing that they have largely been excluded from an essentially all-male establishment. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Cultural Dimension of Global Business (1-download) Gary Ferraro, Elizabeth K. Brody, 2015-07-22 This book demonstrates how the theories and insights of anthropology have positively influenced the conduct of global business and commerce, providing a foundation for understanding the impact of culture on global business, and global business on culture. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Time and the Other Johannes Fabian, 2014-04-15 Time and the Other is a classic work that critically reexamined the relationship between anthropologists and their subjects and reoriented the approach literary critics, philosophers, and historians took to the study of humankind. Johannes Fabian challenges the assumption that anthropologists live in the here and now, that their subjects live in the there and then, and that the other exists in a time not contemporary with our own. He also pinpoints the emergence, transformation, and differentiation of a variety of uses of time in the history of anthropology that set specific parameters between power and inequality. In this edition, a new postscript by the author revisits popular conceptions of the other and the attempt to produce and represent knowledge of other(s). |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Rethink Andi Simon, 2021-01-05 Beyond the Glass Ceiling More and more, women today are challenging long-held beliefs about what they can and can’t do. They’re speaking up, stepping out, breaking through, and redefining what society has always told them was true about their capabilities. In Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, Andi Simon tells the stories of 11 women from different industries who opened up the possibilities for their professional careers and personal lives by being authentic, taking risks, and pushing past the obstacles others placed before them. These are stories that tell of innovation, show how women rise, and ignite change. Andi, a corporate anthropologist, an award-winning author, and a successful entrepreneur, debunks myth after myth as she profiles the women in the book and offers key wisdom, insights, and observations through her unique lens. Whether about entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists, academics, attorneys, or leaders in other fields, the stories demonstrate how all the women have broken down walls and paved the way to more. But this book isn’t only about the 11 women who are pushing boundaries and transforming business, culture, and society; it’s about inspiring all women to achieve and showing them a way to launch forward. Rethink provides the tools and framework for questioning society's norms, challenging our own current thinking, and smashing the preconceived notions about women that can so often hold us back from realizing our goals and dreams. In this book, you'll learn how to take a hands-on approach to examining and rethinking your own personal and professional life in order to recognize your fuller potential. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Listen to Your Footsteps Kojo Baffoe, 2021-06 'Those who know Kojo would have known what to expect in Listen to Your Footsteps a deeply personal, authentic and equally intellectual journey of a quintessential African. A storyteller for the ages, every word and anecdote is like being alone with him in a quiet place as he narrates what it takes to be a real man, doting father, loving son, devoted friend and committed partner. - THEBE IKALAFENG, founder and principal at Africa Brand Leadership Academy 'An insightful memoir of Kojo growing up, navigating family and figuring out his contribution to the world that reads as a beautiful ode to his father. With every word he writes there is a sense of responsibility to leave the world better than he found it. A true wordsmith; the landscape of his memories dances on the page.' - TUMI MORAKE, comedian and author of And then Mama Said Kojo Baffoe embodies what it is to be a contemporary African man. Of Ghanaian and German heritage, he was raised in Lesotho and moved to South Africa at the age of 27. Forever curious, Kojo has the enviable ability to simultaneously experience moments intimately and engage people (and their views) sincerely, while remaining detached enough to think through his experiences critically. He has earned a reputation as a thinker, someone who lives outside the box and free of the labels that society seeks to place on us. Listen to Your Footsteps is an honest and, at times, raw collection of essays from a son, a father, a husband, a brother and a man deeply committed to doing the internal work. Kojo reflects on losing his mother as a toddler, being raised by his father, forming an identity, living as an immigrant, his tussles with substance abuse, as well as his experiences of fatherhood, marriage and making a career in a fickle industry. He gives an extended glimpse into the experiences that make boys become men, and the battles that make men discover what they are made of, all the while questioning what it means to be 'a man'. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Digital Cultures, Lived Stories and Virtual Reality Thomas Maschio, 2021-11-29 This book focuses on the meaning and experience of digital practice, emerging from work in the world of business and drawing on recent anthropological thinking on digital culture. Tom Maschio suggests that the digital is a space of a new story culture and considers the lived experience of new technologies. The chapters cover: storytelling in journalism and business with the new technology of virtual reality, the emerging meanings of social media and community building in the digital space, the uses and meanings of visual imagery online, and the cultural meanings of smartphone technology use and the mobile life. The book incorporates ideas from humanistic anthropology and phenomenology in order to bring business problems into alignment with human concerns and desires, and to show the application of anthropological ideas to real-world issues. As well as anthropologists, the book will be valuable to business students and professionals interested in the digital realm. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Advertising and Anthropology Timothy de Waal Malefyt, Robert J. Morais, 2020-05-14 Examining theory and practice, Advertising and Anthropology is a lively and important contribution to the study of organizational culture, consumption practices, marketing to consumers and the production of creativity in corporate settings. The chapters reflect the authors' extensive lived experienced as professionals in the advertising business and marketing research industry. Essays analyze internal agency and client meetings, competitive pressures and professional relationships and include multiple case studies. The authors describe the structure, function and process of advertising agency work, the mediation and formation of creativity, the centrality of human interactions in agency work, the production of consumer insights and industry ethics. Throughout the book, the authors offer concrete advice for practitioners.Advertising and Anthropology is written by anthropologists for anthropologists as well as students and scholars interested in advertising and related industries such as marketing, marketing research and design. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Writing Anthropology Carole McGranahan, 2020-05-01 In Writing Anthropology, fifty-two anthropologists reflect on scholarly writing as both craft and commitment. These short essays cover a wide range of territory, from ethnography, genre, and the politics of writing to affect, storytelling, authorship, and scholarly responsibility. Anthropological writing is more than just communicating findings: anthropologists write to tell stories that matter, to be accountable to the communities in which they do their research, and to share new insights about the world in ways that might change it for the better. The contributors offer insights into the beauty and the function of language and the joys and pains of writing while giving encouragement to stay at it—to keep writing as the most important way to not only improve one’s writing but to also honor the stories and lessons learned through research. Throughout, they share new thoughts, prompts, and agitations for writing that will stimulate conversations that cut across the humanities. Contributors. Whitney Battle-Baptiste, Jane Eva Baxter, Ruth Behar, Adia Benton, Lauren Berlant, Robin M. Bernstein, Sarah Besky, Catherine Besteman, Yarimar Bonilla, Kevin Carrico, C. Anne Claus, Sienna R. Craig, Zoë Crossland, Lara Deeb, K. Drybread, Jessica Marie Falcone, Kim Fortun, Kristen R. Ghodsee, Daniel M. Goldstein, Donna M. Goldstein, Sara L. Gonzalez, Ghassan Hage, Carla Jones, Ieva Jusionyte, Alan Kaiser, Barak Kalir, Michael Lambek, Carole McGranahan, Stuart McLean, Lisa Sang Mi Min, Mary Murrell, Kirin Narayan, Chelsi West Ohueri, Anand Pandian, Uzma Z. Rizvi, Noel B. Salazar, Bhrigupati Singh, Matt Sponheimer, Kathleen Stewart, Ann Laura Stoler, Paul Stoller, Nomi Stone, Paul Tapsell, Katerina Teaiwa, Marnie Jane Thomson, Gina Athena Ulysse, Roxanne Varzi, Sita Venkateswar, Maria D. Vesperi, Sasha Su-Ling Welland, Bianca C. Williams, Jessica Winegar |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Business Anthropology Ann T. Jordan, 2012-10-02 Viewed as a breakthrough in applied anthropology, Business Anthropology was the first concise work to juxtapose, compare, and integrate anthropological methods and theories with those of contemporary business practices and theories. In this latest edition, Jordan retains enduring, illustrative examples and adds fresh insights to familiarize readers with anthropological techniques and show their ever-growing utility in a variety of organizational and consumer settings. Business Anthropology explains how anthropologists distinctive training and skills equip them to address issues ranging from work processes, diversity, and globalization to product design and consumer behavior, in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Anthropologists use a holistic approach to gather and analyze data. They get to know people both inside and outside the organization, understand diverse perspectives from an objective viewpoint, gain in-depth knowledge about local wants and needs, and see old realities in new ways. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Across Anthropology Margareta von Oswald, Jonas Tinius, 2020-06-15 How can we rethink anthropology beyond itself? In this book, twenty-one artists, anthropologists, and curators grapple with how anthropology has been formulated, thought, and practised ‘elsewhere’ and ‘otherwise’. They do so by unfolding ethnographic case studies from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland – and through conversations that expand these geographies and genealogies of contemporary exhibition-making. This collection considers where and how anthropology is troubled, mobilised, and rendered meaningful. Across Anthropology charts new ground by analysing the convergences of museums, curatorial practice, and Europe’s reckoning with its colonial legacies. Situated amid resurgent debates on nationalism and identity politics, this book addresses scholars and practitioners in fields spanning the arts, social sciences, humanities, and curatorial studies. Preface by Arjun Appadurai. Afterword by Roger Sansi Contributors: Arjun Appadurai (New York University), Annette Bhagwati (Museum Rietberg, Zurich), Clémentine Deliss (Berlin), Sarah Demart (Saint-Louis University, Brussels), Natasha Ginwala (Gropius Bau, Berlin), Emmanuel Grimaud (CNRS, Paris), Aliocha Imhoff and Kantuta Quirós (Paris), Erica Lehrer (Concordia University, Montreal), Toma Muteba Luntumbue (Ecole de Recherche Graphique, Brussels), Sharon Macdonald (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Wayne Modest (Research Center for Material Culture, Leiden), Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin), Margareta von Oswald (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Roger Sansi (Barcelona University), Alexander Schellow (Ecole de Recherche Graphique, Brussels), Arnd Schneider (University of Oslo), Anna Seiderer (University Paris 8), Nanette Snoep (Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum, Cologne), Nora Sternfeld (Kunsthochschule Kassel), Anne-Christine Taylor (Paris), Jonas Tinius (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) Ebook available in Open Access. This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content). |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Curious Advantage Simon Brown, Garrick Jones, Paul Ashcroft, 2020-06-10 The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the behaviour of curiosity and its central role in the digital age, taking the widest possible exploration of all things curious-historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural and business. Curiosity has profound implications for organisations, leaders and individuals inhabiting the digital reality. The Curious Advantage provides pragmatic tools and case studies and makes the case for how curiosity is the greatest driver of value in the new digital age. Curiosity is at the heart of the skills required to successfully navigate our digital lives when all futures are uncertain. The Curious Advantage introduces the 7C's of Curiosity model-a useful tool for anyone wanting to lead a curious organisation or who wants to challenge themselves to be actively curious. In this wonderfully pragmatic book, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones provide the roadmap for curiously navigating and unlocking the opportunities of the new digital reality. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Microcultures: Understanding the Consumer Forces That Will Shape the Future of Your Business Ujwal Arkalgud, Jason Partridge, 2020-01-17 Consumer culture is becoming increasingly diverse. Markets are fragmenting. More bespoke solutions are stealing share from companies who innovate for the masses. Yet companies continue to use practices that assume the opposite, creating a fundamental disconnect between why a company does what it does, and why people buy from that company. Understanding what microcultures are and how they work can help counter this. This book will provide current and future leaders with a learnable, teachable, repeatable, and most importantly, scalable framework with which to drive true organizational transformation. It will help leaders get past the industry-led lens that they've unknowingly become accustomed to and explore opportunities through a purely consumer-led, empathic lens. It will enable you to create solutions for the influential microcultures today, that will shape the macrocultures that will impact your business tomorrow. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Advertising Cultures Timothy de Waal Malefyt, Brian Moeran, 2020-05-11 Through its artful engagement with consumers, advertising subtly shapes our everyday worlds. It plays upon powerful emotions -- envy, fear, lust and ambition. But the industry itself is far more subtle and complex than many people might assume. Through an innovative mix of business strategy and cultural theory, this pioneering book provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of the link between advertising and larger cultural forces, as well as a rare look into the workings of agencies themselves. How do advertisements endeavour to capture real life? How do advertising agencies think of their audience: the consumer and their corporate client? What issues do agencies have to consider when using an advertisement in a range of different countries? What specific methods are used to persuade us not only to buy but to remain loyal to a product? How do advertisers fan consumer desire? An incisive understanding of human behaviour is at the core of all these questions and is what unites advertisers and anthropologists in their work. While this link may come as a surprise to those who consider the former to be firmly rooted in commerce and the latter in culture, this book clearly shows that these two fields share a remarkable number of convergences. From constructing a Japaneseness that appeals to two very different Western audiences, to tracking advertising changes in the post World War II period, to considering how people can be influenced by language and symbols, Advertising Cultures is an indispensable guide to the production of images and to consumer behaviour for practitioners and students alike. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Magical Capitalism Brian Moeran, Timothy de Waal Malefyt, 2018-07-16 This volume of essays examines the ways in which magical practices are found in different aspects of contemporary capitalist societies. From contract law to science, by way of finance, business, marketing, advertising, cultural production, and the political economy in general, each chapter argues that the kind of magic studied by anthropologists in less developed societies – shamanism, sorcery, enchantment, the occult – is not only alive and well, but flourishing in the midst of so-called ‘modernity’. Modern day magicians range from fashion designers and architects to Donald Trump and George Soros. Magical rites take place in the form of political summits, the transformation of products into brands through advertising campaigns, and the biannual fashion collections shown in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Magical language, in the form of magical spells, is used by everyone, from media to marketers and all others devoted to the art of ‘spin’. While magic may appear to be opposed to systems of rational economic thought, Moeran and Malefyt highlight the ways it may in fact be an accomplice to it. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Handbook of Political Anthropology Harald Wydra, Bjørn Thomassen, 2018-11-30 This Handbook engages the reader in the major debates, approaches, methodologies, and explanatory frames within political anthropology. Examining the shifting borders of a moving field of enquiry, it illustrates disciplinary paradigm shifts, the role of humans in political structures, ethnographies of the political, and global processes. Reflecting the variety of directions that surround political anthropology today, this volume will be essential reading to understanding the interactions of humans within political frames in a globalising world. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Consuming Grief Beth A. Conklin, 2010-01-10 Mourning the death of loved ones and recovering from their loss are universal human experiences, yet the grieving process is as different between cultures as it is among individuals. As late as the 1960s, the Wari' Indians of the western Amazonian rainforest ate the roasted flesh of their dead as an expression of compassion for the deceased and for his or her close relatives. By removing and transforming the corpse, which embodied ties between the living and the dead and was a focus of grief for the family of the deceased, Wari' death rites helped the bereaved kin accept their loss and go on with their lives. Drawing on the recollections of Wari' elders who participated in consuming the dead, this book presents one of the richest, most authoritative ethnographic accounts of funerary cannibalism ever recorded. Beth Conklin explores Wari' conceptions of person, body, and spirit, as well as indigenous understandings of memory and emotion, to explain why the Wari' felt that corpses must be destroyed and why they preferred cannibalism over cremation. Her findings challenge many commonly held beliefs about cannibalism and show why, in Wari' terms, it was considered the most honorable and compassionate way of treating the dead. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: The Routledge Companion to Practicing Anthropology and Design Jenessa Mae Spears, Christine Z Miller, 2024-11-29 The Routledge Companion to Practicing Anthropology and Design provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the relationship between these two fields and their current state, outlining key concepts and current debates as well as positing directions for future practice and research. Bringing together original work from a diverse group of established and emerging professionals, this volume joins a wider conversation about the trajectory of this transdisciplinary movement inspired by the continuing evolution of anthropology and design as they have adapted to accelerating and unpredictable conditions in arenas that span sectors, economies, socio-cultural groups, and geographies. It homes in on both the growing convergence and tensions between them while exploring how individuals from both fields have found ways of mixing, experimenting, and evolving theory and new forms of practice, highlighting the experimental theories and practices their transdisciplinarity has generated. The Routledge Companion to Practicing Anthropology and Design is a valuable reference tool for practitioners, scholars, and upper-level students in the fields of anthropology and design as well as related disciplines. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Love as a Business Strategy Mohammad F Anwar, Frank E Danna, Jeffrey F Ma, 2021-04-09 To increase revenue, improve customer experience, and develop higher-performing teams, it's time for leaders to stop looking for quick fixes to complex business problems and start building a culture of love. Yes, love. Anchored by Softway's own transformational journey, Love as a Business Strategy offers a new, people-first framework for achieving any business outcome-written by folks that aren't fans of run-of-the-mill business books. As a matter of fact, Love as a Business Strategy is so chock-full of real-world examples of mistakes, heartbreak, and redemption that it reads more like a juicy exposé than a business book. Love as a Business Strategy steers clear from piety and theoretical concepts and instead shares grounded stories of resilient people running a real business. A business, as you'll come to find out, that was on the brink of disaster before 'love' took hold. Love As A Business Strategy doesn't preach or mislead, rather it lays out the blueprints for better business outcomes-like better employee engagement, enhanced patient experiences, and increased efficiency-then walks you through it step-by-step. A better way of doing business is possible. The workplace revolution has arrived. Love as a Business Strategy will help you ditch the status quo, embrace humanity, and achieve lasting success. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Qualitative Methods in Business Research Päivi Eriksson, Anne Kovalainen, 2008-03-17 `Comprehensive, current and compelling, a winning combination for any research student or practitioner interested in increasing his/her knowledge about qualitative methods as they apply to business research' - The Qualitative Report Covering all the major qualitative approaches in business studies (including case study research, ethnography, narrative inquiry, discourse analysis, grounded theory and action research), this practical how-to guide shows how qualitative methods are used within management, marketing, organizational studies and accounting. Within each approach, the authors consider crucial issues such as framing the research, generating research questions, getting access, collecting empirical materials, reporting the results and evaluating the research. Original case studies drawn from around the world are included throughout to demonstrate the practical applications of the methods discussed. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Handbook on Ethical Issues in Anthropology Joan Cassell, Sue-Ellen Jacobs, 1987 |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction John Monaghan, Peter Just, 2000-02-24 This book on social and cultural anthropology combines an account of the discipline's guiding principles and methodology with examples of anthropologists at work. The book ends with an assessment of its position and a look forward to its future. |
| about anthropology in business podcast: Anthropology and Ethnology During World War II Malgorzata Maj, Marcin Brocki, Stanislawa Trebunia-Staszel, 2019-10-31 The volume presents a collection of texts describing research into the Sektion Rassen und-Volsktumsforschung of the Institut für Deutsche Ostarbeit (IDO)--a Nazi-led institution established in occupied Poland during World War II. The research was carried out by anthropologists together with historians, sociologists, and physical anthropologists. |
Anthropology | Definition, Meaning, Branches, History, & Facts
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology, ‘the science of humanity,’ which studies human beings in aspects ranging from the biology and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens to the features of society …
The study of anthropology and its various branches | Britannica
anthropology, The “science of humanity.” Anthropologists study human beings in aspects ranging from the biology and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens to the features of society and …
Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology: Cultural anthropology is that major division of anthropology that explains culture in its many aspects. It is anchored in the …
Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology: The modern discourse of anthropology crystallized in the 1860s, fired by advances in biology, philology, and prehistoric …
Cultural anthropology | Definition, Examples, Topics, History,
Cultural anthropology, a major division of anthropology that deals with the study of culture in all of its aspects and that uses the methods, concepts, and data of archaeology, ethnography and …
Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology | Britannica
May 7, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology: Anthropologists working in Africa and with African materials have made signal contributions to the theory and practice of …
Anthropology - Cultural, Archaeological, Biological | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Archaeological, Biological: The anthropology of religion is the comparative study of religions in their cultural, social, historical, and material contexts. The …
Anthropology - Culture, Society, Human Behavior | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Culture, Society, Human Behavior: A distinctive “social” or “cultural” anthropology emerged in the 1920s. It was associated with the social sciences and linguistics, …
Anthropology - Culture, Society, Human Behavior | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Culture, Society, Human Behavior: The term social anthropology emerged in Britain in the early years of the 20th century and was used to describe a distinctive …
Physical anthropology | Human Evolution, Genetics & Adaptation
physical anthropology, branch of anthropology concerned with the origin, evolution, and diversity of people. Physical anthropologists work broadly on three major sets of problems: human and …
Anthropology | Definition, Meaning, Branches, History, & Facts | Britan…
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology, ‘the science of humanity,’ which studies human beings in aspects ranging from the biology and …
The study of anthropology and its various branches | Britannica
anthropology, The “science of humanity.” Anthropologists study human beings in aspects ranging from the biology and …
Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology: Cultural anthropology is that major division of …
Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology | Britannica
Jun 9, 2025 · Anthropology - Cultural, Biological, Archaeology: The modern discourse of anthropology crystallized in …
Cultural anthropology | Definition, Examples, Topics, History, & Facts ...
Cultural anthropology, a major division of anthropology that deals with the study of culture in all of its aspects and that uses …
