The next event is coming up in our series of member workshops that we are running through the year on culture, behaviour and competence. This session will be in conjunction with the London School of Economics (LSE) on the practical use of ethnography to help banks and building societies to understand more about their culture.

Long-term observational ethnographic methods are one way of gaining valuable insights into culture and behaviour (and the variations in culture and behaviour) within organisations. This seminar will consider what ethnography is, how it works, what insights it can generate in a corporate setting, and how it can be applied by firms. The focus will be very practical, and no prior knowledge is required; all that’s needed is an interest in finding out more about an as yet under-used but potentially very useful approach.

The session will be led by Dr Daniel Beunza, Assistant Professor of Management at the LSE and part of the Organisational Behaviour Faculty Group within the LSE’s Department of Management. Dr Beunza is a specialist in the use of ethnography techniques, which he has deployed in recent studies examining the effect of the automation of the New York Stock Exchange; a derivative trading room on Wall Street; and the way in which shareholder groups engage with corporations. The seminar will also bring member firms together with a number of other ethnography and anthropology experts who have worked with firms in a variety of industries, and who will share their practical experience.

Subject to the discussions at this seminar and your interest in the approach, we may also then explore the scope for piloting a small number of ethnographic studies (undertaken in-house, with BSB facilitation) with interested member firms.

We are able to offer places at this seminar for up to three people from each of our member firms. If your firm is not currently a BSB member and you would like to talk to us about membership, please contact Ursula Henry.

If you are from a BSB member firm and would like to attend, please contact Laura Conaghan.