11219: Lifting the Veil on Ethnography in Entrepreneurship and Beyond

Monday, July 28, 2025

10:15 - 11:45 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: Hall B- B1-m6

Session Type: Symposium (panel)
Orientation: Research
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/yKAj8n

Organizer(s)

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Marco Mismetti

Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
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Eliana Crosina

Babson College, United States
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Alfredo De Massis

Free U. of Bolzano, IMD Business School and Lancaster U.

Discussant(s)

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Eliana Crosina

Babson College, United States

Moderator(s)

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Alfredo De Massis

Free U. of Bolzano, IMD Business School and Lancaster U.

Panelist(s)

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Beth Bechky

UC Davis, United States
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Suntae Kim

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, United States
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Nick A. Mmbaga

Indiana University, United States
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Siobhan O'Mahony

Boston U., United States

This symposium offers insights and practical guidelines for conducting ethnographic research in entrepreneurial contexts. Although scholars have long recognized the merits of ethnography as a way of explaining life in and around organizations, ethnographic studies in entrepreneurship remain scant. A panel of experts will share their best practices and "behind the scenes" working within an array of entrepreneurial settings. They will cover various aspects of the research process, including case and informant selection, building trust, data collection through participant and nonparticipant observation, note taking, and theorizing from field notes, among other topics.