(Engaging or Avoiding) Change Through Reflexive Practices

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the ways in which individuals deploy reflexive practices in order to avoid or engage with a call to change either oneself or the social context. We begin by developing a categorization of the modes of reflexive practice associated with avoidance or engagement. We go on to develop -through a relationally reflexive research process -three contributions that build on this. First, we build an understanding of what a repertoire of reflexive practices may include, and 'what is going on' in such reflexive practices. Second, we explain how reflexive practices can be mobilizing, thereby enabling shifts between avoidance and engagement modes, or fix action within a single mode. Third, we develop an understanding of the ways in which emotions and relationships influence how reflexive practices of either kind are deployed.

Participant Reflexivity in Organizational Research Design

“…As noted earlier there is a variety of research that notes the emotional aspects of the research process from the viewpoint of the organizational researcher (Evans et al, 2017;Whiteman et al, 2009), but here the focus upon the emotions of the researched enables us to identify issues and events that are particularly pertinent to our participants, that are entangled within participant reflexivity processes. As Hibbert et al (2017) note, and as we have also identified in our own participants, this may signify a call to change that can lead to participants changing their behaviours, or at least re-evaluating what they are currently doing. Not only does this signal an issue or event worthy of further exploration, but we would argue that the researcher also has some level of responsibility here to permit participants to explore and develop their reflexivity and emotions at such pivot points in a safe space (Hibbert and Cunliffe, 2015).…”

“…Perhaps it is not a surprise therefore that some of our participants suggested that the opportunity for reflexive critique led to them planning or activating behavioural changes. This link between reflexivity and action demonstrates how as Hibbert et al, (2017) suggest, reflexive practice can lead to a call for action. In line with their suggestion, it is the combination of the emotional experiences and reflexive practices that will impact upon whether a call to action is either mobilized or constrained.…”

“…Going back to our participants (for example Gatrell, 2009), could also provide researchers with an indication of the extent to which participant reflexivity initiated during the initial data collection facilitated positive effects or resulted in subsequent positive action. Here there would be the opportunity to explore the post-reflexive choice highlighted by Adams (2006) and Hibbert et al (2017).…”

“…Hibbert et al, (2017) also note that there is some debate about whether emotion can be seen as a barrier to reflexive thought (Burkitt, 2012), however, in conducting research with participants, it could be that as the authors suggest, we are calling them to action or to see themselves as agents or authors of their organizational worlds, a call for action that can be both rationally understood and emotionally experienced (Hibbert et al, 2017: 4). Hibbert et al's (2017) work centrally emphasizes that the call to change is either mobilized or constrained based on the combined effects of (sub) conscious emotional experiences and rational reflexive practices. It also importantly enables a recognition that although emotions can be important triggers or pivot points for reflexivity, the process of reflexivity does not necessarily lead to change.…”

“…We draw particular attention to the notion of self-reflexivity (Cunliffe, 2002) as an important form of internal dialogue and to the literatures that forge links between emotion and reflexive practice (e.g. Hibbert et al, 2017;Burkitt, 2012). After briefly outlining the research project and the methodology, we summarize the reflexivity that participants reported as being facilitated by involvement in our research.…”