Socioanalytic Methods: Discovering the Hidden in Organisations and Social Systems

“This book is a feast of theory and method. It takes up what might be experienced as overly abstract ideas, such as ‘culture’, ‘system’, and ‘matrix’, and makes them real in the context of actual methods and practices. Susan Long and Maurita Harney’s introductory essay, linking socioanalysis to Pierces’ theory of abduction, is a masterstroke. It grounds socioanalysis in a philosophic tradition and demonstrates how socioanalysis, in the spirit of abduction, stimulates moments of discovery and surprise for client, consultant and researcher. Surprise, as abduction makes clear, is the beginning of discovery. The essays that follow on the use of drawings and photos, on social dreaming, on the salience of reflective spaces, on organizational role analysis and on other methods, all demonstrate how the scholar practitioner can stimulate discovery through the judicious use of practical methods. This book has surprises for the experienced practitioner as well as those just entering the field. I recommend it highly.”–Larry Hirschhorn, PhD, Principal

“This is a fantastic book that pulls together and integrates the various perspectives that have developed over the last century with respect to what is going on ‘below the surface’ in individuals and organizations. By providing a palette of lenses, the reader is invited to explore, discover and find meaning and insight into dynamics and behaviours that otherwise remain out of awareness. Each chapter contributes to a deepening level of understanding, enabling the reader to form hypotheses which lead to the discovery of the rationale beneath the ‘irrational’ aspects of human behaviour in organizations. Anyone who is curious about why people and organizations behave the way they do will most certainly find this book a great source of insight.”–Roger D. Lehman, Director, Executive Masters in Consulting and Coaching for Change; Affiliate Professor