Telling the Whole Story: The Case for Organizational Autoethnography

Abstract

We propose that autoethnography has a fruitful contribution to make to organizational research. The ethnographic process has always been an essential way of studying culture, including organizational culture. The introspective and retrospective nature of autoethnography can enhance understanding of the link between the individual and the organization very effectively. The intensely reflexive nature of autoethnography allows the organizational researcher to make that link. An aesthetic style of prose helps. An increasing use of first person narrative in organizational research also helps. Co‐constructed autoethnography is proposed. The intensely emotive and personal nature of autoethnography impacts upon the sensemaking of the reader. The extant literature can be weaved into the autoethnographic narrative.

Key words:

• Organizational autoethnography
• Introspective
• Retrospective
• Reflexive