Enhancing workplace research through a radically reflexive video-tour: insights from a coworking space case study

Enhancing workplace research through a radically reflexive video-tour: insights from a coworking space case study
Laura Galuppo, Vanessa Trapani, Mara Gorli
Journal of Organizational Ethnography, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study aims to explore the value of video-based ethnography, particularly the video-tour technique, in investigating and transforming contemporary workspaces, with a focus on coworking environments. Coworking spaces are dynamic, shared workplaces that serve diverse functions and are constantly evolving. Given their complexity, more participative and transformational research approaches are needed to understand their impact and engage key stakeholders in meaningful reflection. This paper advocates for the video-tour method as a tool to enhance both practitioners’ and researchers’ reflexive awareness, fostering a deeper understanding of coworking spaces and supporting their intentional transformation.

Drawing on a socio-material perspective, the paper presents a case study that employs a “radically reflexive” version of the video-tour technique. This approach is characterized by its performative, participatory and transformative nature.

The findings show that a radically reflexive video-tour enables a deep, participative and transformative analysis of coworking spaces, highlighting how they are shaped by the daily practices of their users.

This contribution is twofold: it illustrates the application of a radically reflexive approach in ethnographic research through the video-tour method and discusses the unique challenges and opportunities that this stance offers for studying coworking spaces.