essential-guide-to-qualitative-in-organizational-research

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION –––––––––– 135think it’s the road meets resistance in a certain way, but if we want to make it what wewant, then it’s got to get over a lot of obstacles].The concept of an image mismatch was evident in both organizations. Suits and ties createda degree of perceived respectability in both places; but also formality, conservatism andhierarchy. Canadian academics saw this mismatch as a conflict between business and academicroles, cladding figures half in business suits and half in academic regalia. UK academics alsoviewed the mismatch as a clash between internal and external perceptions of the organization.In other words, they believed that the school’s projected professionalism was illusory:[(DS: Why’s he wearing a suit?) Oh, conventional. A grey suit. (DS: A grey suit?) It’sdone up as well – all three buttons. (DS: Why’s that?) ‘Cos that’s what repressed, tightarsedpeople do. (DS: Right) . . . Very besuited, very wants to be seen as a a manager,an accountant, or er someone of that sort. Greasy, yeh – Brylcreem. (DS: Right). Thatsort of thing. (DS: It it it’s not a high-flying sort-of executive-type?) Oh, no, no, no! It’smore like a glorified clerk. (DS: Right). Possibly slightly shiny bits on the suit. (DS: Right).Sort of a bit tatty].Both institutions were depicted as male, although this was less strongly expressed at the UKschool. This could be a simple description of the disproportionate number of male academics,but it was also felt to represent ‘male’ values, such as competitiveness and lack of emotionalsupport for employees. Both organizations were seen as young/middle-aged, reflecting thetime since establishment. The UK organization was seen as large/tall, whereas the Canadianone was medium, reflecting faculty size. Canadian academics also viewed each other as moreintellectual than did UK academics.Several pictorial characteristics were wholly unique to each institution. In the UK school,preoccupation with money and research, a lack of business world links and a feeling of sizebasedanonymity were mentioned frequently. High relative power to other faculties, a feignedFigure 11.6MBA students focus group image: Canadian school