This thesis examines the (South) Korean animation industry in between the global and the national. Since the 1990s, the Korean animation industry has tried to shift from being a subordinated ‘in-betweener’ (i.e. subcontracting for the USA and Japan) to becoming an autonomous agent (i.e. producing its own animations). What exactly initiated this change? Can it be perhaps understood as the response to the globalisation process? Or, can it be, in fact, Korea’s constantly contested nationalism under the guise of capital force of globalisation? How does this change our understanding of globalisation as process? More importantly, how do animators experience globalisation in their daily lives and work conditions? To answer these questions, the thesis focuses on (1) how the local creative industry recognises and realises the dynamics between the global and national; (2) how the local creative producers experience negotiating local and global values in their daily lives and work. As Korea is a globally challenged nation with constantly contested national identity, the Korean animation industry is a potent site for examining ambivalent identity formation through these ‘in-between’ negotiation processes. People’s everyday experiences and ‘emotional’ struggles in-between the two major forces of nationalism and globalisation have been relatively neglected in research so far. This focus leads me to suggest the idea of ‘in-between’ not just as subcontracting but as a concept. In contrast to celebration of hybridity as ambivalence and/or resistance to both globalisation and nationalism, ‘in-betweeness’ captures the subjective experience generated from hybridity and realised through social and emotional tension in lived experiences and work. Being in-between is understood as a negotiation, transition and dis/juncture of different experiences of globalisation, along which Korean animators experience conflicts, dilemmas and confusion and hesitations about which direction to head in. It results in the creation of an ambivalent and often agonized in between identity.

This thesis explores the themes of alienation and exploitation within the Portuguese call centre sector by focusing on the nature of value-creation in the organisation of labour, the effects this regime has on workers’ consciousness and agency, and how these effects are expressed in terms of class, gender and age. These questions are examined within the broader political and economic context. In recent years the ‘call centre domain’ in Portugal has been transformed into the main symbol of precariedade laboral (labour precariousness). The categories of trabalho precário (precarious labour), trabalhador precário (precarious worker) and precariedade laboral (labour precariousness) have recently entered into everyday language in Portugal. They are used by politicians and journalists as well as social movements and citizens as a way of protesting against the growing insecurity, contingency and vulnerability of formal wage employment as is found, for instance, in the increase of ‘atypical forms of employment’ such as temporary agency work. Call centres have been described as ‘electronic sweatshops’ because of such characteristics as repetitive tasks, high turnover, stress and burnout, psychological aggression from ‘angry’ customers, low autonomy in work tasks and automatism (scripting), leading to the stereotype of call centre workers as ‘human answering machines’. My research argues that, in the call centre labour regime workers are subjected to management by tight surveillance which robs humans of their defining characteristics of creative/symbolic thinking and complex communication and language. This management also imposes a gendered division of labour which separates men working in technical support help lines from women working in commercial help lines. The dispossession of call centre operators from what they do comes both from the gap between their expectations of and aspirations to social mobility, which were inculcated through their circles of socialization (family, state, school), and the feeling of ‘falling from grace’ after finishing their college degrees and having to enter into call centre work. This is a form of work which is not only socially perceived as unskilled, inferior and lacking career options, but most importantly as a form of work in which humans are disguised as robots. I conclude by situating my main findings within the anthropological and sociological scholarship related to the nature of value-creation in the capitalist labour process, gender commodification and the subjective experience of dispossession, downward class mobility and stigma.

This research examines how practitioners in the art museum engage with difference, particularly with the black subject, and the influence that policy, which is intended to promote access and inclusion, has on the process. How difference is imagined and addressed is explored through an investigation of the lived experience of museum professionals in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The research is an ethnographic study that utilizes a multidisciplinary theoretical framework, drawing from sociology, cultural studies, social and cultural history, art history, and museum studies, and its methodological approach includes in-depth interviews in Seattle, New York and London, and long-term participant observation in London. An examination of race, diversity and representation, an overview of historical accounts substantiating the development of support for the arts and culture, and an indication of arts policy in the US and UK provide a context from which to view the empirical data. The data makes visible how specific communities are imagined, how projects are developed for ‘targeted’ audiences, and it reveals how conventions in practice continue to perpetuate an air of exclusivity in institutions purportedly open to all. Contrasting and comparing the stated motivations and intentions of practitioners with observed practice illuminates the challenges inherent in transforming words into action. These challenges expose the mechanisms of essentialism, instrumentalism and exclusion that can be exerted in practice; analysis of the process illustrates the complexity of shifting the narrative and culture of the museum, a shift which denotes the evolution in learning and audience development from a civilizing, transmission approach towards a participatory, individual meaning-making approach. This research intends to enhance the understanding of the agency of museum practitioners, particularly during their engagement with difference and external policy mandates, whilst they are concurrently situated in the evolving material and discursive space of the art museum.

This paper investigates the nature of the psychological contract (PC) of black Brit-ish workers in UK local authorities. Psychological contract describes an individual employee‘s perception concerning the terms and conditions of an exchange agreement between the employer and the employee (Conway and Briner, 2005). The primary focus of this research is on the individual employee‘s perspectives and not the organization‘s. The research is based on the experiences of the black British clerical workers, who have been deployed at various departments across ten UK local authorities. This research employed a qualitative method adopted from Creswell (2003). Thirty-eight interviews were conducted in ten different UK local authorities and the data was transcribed and analysed in a manner informed by the Glaser and Strauss (1990) concept of grounded theory approach. The result of this research concludes that the black British clerical workers have endorsed five distinct reasons why they joined local authorities. In addition, this research concludes that the black British clerical workers‘ response to the psycho-logical contract violations were influenced and constrained by four main societal factors, these including: (1) outside support (2) economic conditions (3) black ex-tended family and (4) educational qualification. Overall, the findings of this re-search support the notion that the black British clerical worker‘s psychological contract is uniquely different from other staff members‘, for which there has been no study done in the UK, until now.

The organisational literature explaining tacit knowledge as a whole has remained conceptual and there is now a need to know empirically about the nature of tacit knowledge at the process level where the knowledge worker carries out work. This doctoral research case study empirically examines the tacit dimensions of knowledge that occur between knowledge worker practitioners especially within an explicit environment of codified standardisedo, perating proceduresa nd intranet knowledge databases. In this case the evidence comes from a multi-method approach. The empirical findings are based on a case study of a forensic science community of practice, at the micro-level between knowledge workers, where quantitative social network analysis and qualitative interviewing, ethnographic studies, and document review were carried out. The quantitative picture, using social network analysis was used to give a fixed perspective on the actors sharing tacit knowledge during advice seeking transactions within the communities. An interpretive qualitative approach was used where the intent was to understand the relational dimensions of tacit knowledge being shared between the same actors. Social theories of learning perspectives are used, in particular with the emphasis on communities of practice as a framework, to study structured relational mechanisms that shape tacit knowledge flows. Organisational learning can be seen as a function of relationships between actors within a dynamic environment of social interaction, and matter most when collegiate interactions involve the exchange of tacit knowledge. Within a micro-level case study of a highly technical forensic science expert community, this research emphasizes the relational tacit dimensions of knowledge provided by human social capital surrounding and encircling the standardised organisational production process. Trust, respect, friendship, identity and ii social norms are the kinds of personal relationships people have developed through a history of interactions, which have been discussed in the literature. Answering the call of researchers, for the empirical analysis of knowledge sharing practices using the relational thinking concept, this doctoral case study has found more, including processual, experiential, capability, mentoring, informal, helping, openness/sharing, approachability, respect, proximal, cohort/clique, interpretative and bureaucratic structural relationships, and unique to forensic scientists, an adversarial relationship. Most of the literature within the community of practice teachings describes the performative advantages of such communities but there has been very little discussion on the rich tacitness embodied within the actual processes of how such communities work, especially those within a quality management structure. Eventhough processes are explicit by nature there is still a tacit element attached where a base line of minimum acceptable performance from protocols is supplemented by interactions with colleagues and one's own thought processes. Such concepts are only being discussed at a nascent level in the Quality Management System literature, where the tacit world has not yet diffused into the very explicit world found in qualitative management writings. In looking at the process level, findings are presented with respect to the interplay of the explicit knowledge within standard operating procedures and the practitioners' tacit knowledge requirements needed in actually completing the process. Ultimately these findings will help improve the way process is carried out in a knowledge intensive environment by having insights in how tacit knowledge works, and make conclusions on tacit knowledge within the world of process governed by standard operating procedures.

Occupational stress is acknowledged to be a common health issue for allied health care professionals. To date there have not been any studies which have investigated the lived experience of this phenomenon amongst practising NHS podiatrists. This study adopted a phenomenological approach to data generation following the philosophy of Hans Georg Gadamer (1975) and his concepts of fusion of horizons, a positive view of prejudices and the hermeneutic circle. The methods utilized included the use of individually constructed collages and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The sample consisted of ten randomly selected podiatrists working across five community health and social care partnerships in NHS Scotland. The data gave rise to two main themes: (1) the relationship between an individual’s autonomy and team working, and, (2) the patient-podiatrist relationship. Findings suggested that occupational stress can be the result of an imbalance between required and perceived levels of autonomy in practice and that this autonomy can be restricted due to team working or the patient podiatrist relationship. This has resulted in the proposal of a new definition of autonomy. The definition defines two elements: (1) Professional autonomy, or an individual’s control over the external factors that contribute to their professional work. (2) Clinical autonomy, defined as an individual’s freedom to make clinical decisions. Findings suggest that when experienced podiatrists’ expectations of being a professional are unmet that this contributes to the experience of stress. This research recommends that autonomy and professionalism for practitioners be considered in daily practice, and that such concepts be included as part of the undergraduate programme in order to better prepare students for the challenges faced in practice.

This research is concerned with developing theory to support an understanding of UK SME family business culture. A corporate model of culture does not translate into the UK SME family business sector. The corporate model is based on US cultural assumptions that do not support the distinct cultural business pattern of the UK SME of family origin. A distinct ownership pattern, existence of familial relationships and national culture affect, in particular, the way in which power can be understood within a UK SME family firm culture. An interpretative, long-term ethnographic case stUdy methodology was selected, based on an in-situ non-pre-codified design. This was selected to enable the development of theory of high relevance to the 'local' setting. An intrinsic involvement with the case, through intent to change the culture, enabled this study to be grounded in action; understanding culture demands an action-oriented approach. The design is multi-method and dialectic presented through a 'messy' text and thick description. The factual findings of the study construct a culture based on weak systems of formal power and a prevalence of politics. A TQM2 approach based on 'task-oriented' change interventions is shown to fail to bring about planned change due to their 'rule-power' oriented cultural assumptions. This study provides support for a new model of UK SME family business culture, which I.have characterised as a person-power culture. This culture is based on an ascribed-collectivist value orientation, where personal discretionary authority and politics dominate. Importantly, politics plays a functional role, its aim to support 'harmonious relationships' and allow status reaffirmation and acquisition. This thesis provides a synthesis of extant knowledge of UK family business culture, but extends and consolidates it through ethnographic cultural analysis. The thesis generates substantive theory of high relevance to UK SME family business culture. Thereby the thesis makes a contribution to both professional practice and knowledge within the domain of power and organisational culture. 1 The definition of 'family' is taken broadly as an owner-managed firm with family origins, including first and second generation family businesses.

This research is concerned with my personal leadership practice in the former Welsh Office and latterly the National Assembly for Wales. It has been a sociological study, critically exploring my leadership practice during a period of intense change. The study provides an auto-ethnographic account of my leadership practice through four discrete projects. My practice in relation to these projects was analysed through relevant action research methodologies, which involved reflection and reflexivity, together with a conceptual framework covering personal leadership and change, gender, identity and, power and psycho-dynamics. The analysis was informed by a comprehensive literature review of the key texts on leadership, gender, identity, power, and organisational psycho-dynamics. As the researcher and the researched, I attempted to understand how my personal characteristics and life experiences governed my actions and behaviours, the impact of my gender on my practice, the construction of personal and collective identities and the use of power and authority within the organisation. The overall aim was to contribute to leadership theories about the practice of women leaders and to improve my practice through this understanding. The theory that has emerged is that of accommodating leadership on the basis that to exercise effective leadership it is necessary to be accommodating of your personal, inherent traits, and learnt behaviours and those with whom you interact, whilst engendering a culture that encourages the practice of accommodation. The findings contribute to knowledge in the areas of leadership, change and learning, identity and power and psycho-dynamics in a public sector organisation from a feminist perspective on both personal and organisational levels.

Studying how individuals accept new computer systems is one of the main issues in information systems research. Organisations need to develop and implement information and communication technology systems successfully. Successful implementation of any system depends op, its acceptance and use by potential users. This thesis investigates how managers make their decisions towards new information and communication technology systems. It is a new extension to the technology acceptance model, which includes new factors which have direct and indirect influence on managers' decisions to use new technology. The thesis pursues an answer for the research question 'what factors affect managers' decisions to accept or reject a new information and communication technology system?' This research adds more constructs to the original technology acceptance model which are adapted from the theory of reasoned action, the theory of planned behaviour and other information systems development theories such as user participation, user interface design and management support. This research adopts action research, case study and web survey methods to test the 22 hypotheses. The results confirm the new extended technology acceptance model which is an addition to the literature of computer systems adoption.

Objective of this research is to investigate internationalising SMEs on a bicultural human resource perspective in order to develop a management model for internationalising SMEs by using the qualifications and characteristics of bicultural experts from 2nd generation migration. Thus, the research is, on one hand, based on the example of 2nd generation Spanish experts in Germany. However, the aim of this dissertation is to provide a management model for internationalising SMEs to improve their competitive advantages by using the qualifications of 2nd generation bicultural experts on foreign markets, the research, on the other hand, concentrate on the example of Spanish small and medium sized enterprises, which want to expand their businesses into the German markets. This study uses both, primary and secondary data. The data involved qualitative research and several examinations of existent empirical research in the literature review. In the stage of the literature review, the theoretical perspectives of culture, competitiveness and an initial bicultural management model are examined. Further, the educational situation of Spanish 2nd generation immigrants in Germany are studied. Additional data of 2nd generation Spaniards are examined with the purpose of giving a profile of those immigrants in Germany. Records and information about Spanish enterprises on the German markets are evaluated in order to identify business requirements that Spanish SMEs need to improve their businesses on German markets. Further topics on the literature review are competitiveness and internationalisation of SMEs and migration in Germany. The examinations highlight the need to continue an in-depth investigation of these subjects in order to clarify the interrelations between international business and biculturalism. Discussions about generalising research across cultures and nations indicate that the depth and diversity of culture cannot be adequately captured through comparative studies of nations. Instead, qualitative research in the field is needed., Therefore, this research concentrates on the qualitative research methods of applying the focus group method and in-depth interviews. The objectives are to validate the findings of the previous stages and to develop a model by introducing the perceptions of responsible Spanish SME representatives. Main objective of the in-depth interviews i~ to limit the persons interviewed to their knowledge as professional experts. By combining the findings of the respective stages, the contribution to knowledge is to develop a management model for internationalising SMEs to improve their competitive advantages by ~sing the qualifications of 2nd generation bicultural experts.