This book explores intra-team interaction in workplace settings devoted to technological breakthroughs and innovative entrepreneurship. The first set of studies to investigate these economically important institutions through the lens of talk-at-work, this book begins by discussing the ethnomethodological traditions of Conversation Analysis and institutional interaction and linking them to innovation and entrepreneurship.

The book offers rich and detailed empirical accounts of teams talking new technologies and new ventures into being. By focusing on the observable language of teams in action, the book reveals the situated practices that teams use to enact their work, including the means by which team members verbally grapple with the uncertainties inherent in doing work in uncharted domains. The book presents important findings about the conversational accomplishment of work and demonstrates the value of examining the practices of teams in action.

A valuable contribution to studies of talk-in-interaction, as well as entrepreneurship-as-practice, this book can help to bridge the gap between scholarly investigations and the practical experiences of entrepreneurs. The author closes by considering the ways that practice-based studies of entrepreneurial work can improve issues of diversity and inclusion within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This book is intended to serve as an invaluable sourcebook for scholars and students interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizations as well as those focused on applied Conversation Analysis. The book's insights are presented in a richly detailed manner while remaining accessible to readers who are new to the methodologies and activity contexts.

About the Author

Betsy Campbell, PhD, researches the practices of teams at the forefront of science and technology. As a Penn State faculty member, she leads an initiative focused on the democratization of entrepreneurship. Earlier in her career she founded Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs, Inc. and co-directed the MIT CI Lab.

Reviews

"Innovation is very rarely a solo act - look behind almost any new venture and you'll find a team. But what makes for success, how do teams balance creativity and conflict, how do they learn to handle the multiple social interactions which enable them to create value form new ideas? This excellent book pulls aside the curtain to give us a rich and well-researched glimpse into the world of team dynamics as they affect entrepreneurial activity." - John Bessant, Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Exeter University

"Betsy Campbell provides an insightful glimpse into the workings of entrepreneurial and innovation teams. It turns seemingly simple conversational interactions into meaningful performances of practices to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity. The book is a great resource for those interested in understanding entrepreneurship as situated activity." - Dimo Dimov, Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Bath University

"Dr. Betsy Campbell has written a must-read book for anyone wanting to consider what entrepreneurs actually do behind closed doors...Read this book - and learn a powerful new way of understanding how entrepreneurs accomplish their work in context." - Dr. Neil Thompson, Assistant Professor, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Book Information
ISBN 9781138497849
Author Betsy Campbell
Format Paperback
Page Count 174
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 286g