The International Journal of Business Anthropology (IJBA) is a double-blinded peer reviewed journal focusing upon business anthropology. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, general business anthropology theories and methods; management; marketing; consumer behaviour; product design and development; knowledge management and competitive intelligence; human resources management; and international business. Practitioners, students, community members, and faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to submit articles. IJBA was originally published by the North American Business Press (NABP) biannually, and is currently published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, beginning with this volume.
Qualitative methods of business research are emerging as vital tools. Business anthropology is at the heart of this movement. Although many recent books provide nuts-and-bolts advice regarding the field, Rethinking Business Anthropology: Cultural Strategies in Marketing and Management discusses the intellectual traditions from which the discipline has emerged and how this heritage opens up new vistas for business research. Gaining these broader perspectives is essential as business anthropologists transcend being mere research technicians and seek to influence organizational policies and strategies. Opening chapters deal with the current status of the field and its relationship to ecological and cultural sustainability. This is followed by discussions of the intellectual foundations of anthropology and their continued importance to business anthropology. An array of chapters provides illustrative applications of business anthropology in order to demonstrate the field's unique and powerful potentials within both scholarly and practitioner research. The book concludes with a discussion of the role of business anthropologists in dealing with indigenous people, rural populations, and cultural enclaves. Increasingly, businesses seek to connect with such communities even though mainstream leaders and negotiators often lack the skills necessary to effectively do so. Business anthropologists, with their dual background in business and cultural diversity are poised to excel in this capacity. An appendix by Robert Tian, editor of the International Journal of Business Anthropology, provides a useful overview of the field as it now exists. As business anthropology comes of age, this timely monograph provides the perspectives needed for the growth and further development of the field and those who work within it. Excellent for the professional bookshelf and as a textbook.
"This issue of the International Journal of Business Anthropology contains seven articles related to the practice of business anthropology in various countries. The first article makes two arguments about China's Belt and Road Initiative (also known as "One Belt, One Road") based on two case studies in Tashkurgan in Xinjiang province and Houqiao in Yunnan province of China. The second discusses factors that led to the popularity of a Japanese adult video (AV) actress in China since 2010. The third paper examines variances in the representational framing of gender-roles in advertisements across cultures by employing traditional Hofstedian dimensions in conjunction with recent paradigms of horizontal-vertical cultural orientations. The fourth explores the significance of anthropology in management education by analyzing business education in India, which is undergoing a profound paradigm shift to respond to the challenges arising out of the rapidly changing business environmental factors. The fifth article investigates socio-cultural, environmental, religious, gender, educational, and health-care factors affecting women's smoking in Yunnan, China. The sixth paper discusses two problems (the lack of knowledge and the weakness in control and monitoring system) that hamper the majority of Islamic microfinance cooperative institutions in Indonesia, and suggests solutions. The last article probes the mechanism of reform and development of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen City (CCCSC). The innovation of the CCCSC in its operation is concerned with three important aspects of the reform, including strategic basis, financial strategy and organizational structure. The reform practice of the CCCSC provides new information for academic research on the governance of chambers of commerce in China."
Viewed as a breakthrough in applied anthropology, Business Anthropology was the first concise work to juxtapose, compare, and integrate anthropological methods and theories with those of contemporary business practices and theories. In this latest edition, Jordan retains enduring, illustrative examples and adds fresh insights to familiarize readers with anthropological techniques and show their ever-growing utility in a variety of organizational and consumer settings. Business Anthropology explains how anthropologists distinctive training and skills equip them to address issues ranging from work processes, diversity, and globalization to product design and consumer behavior, in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Anthropologists use a holistic approach to gather and analyze data. They get to know people both inside and outside the organization, understand diverse perspectives from an objective viewpoint, gain in-depth knowledge about local wants and needs, and see old realities in new ways.
The first comprehensive work on the burgeoning field of business anthropology, this innovative reference book, including more than 60 international scholar-practitioners, provides a foundation for the field for years to come.
Business Anthropology: The Basics is an accessible and engaging introductory text organized around key issues in the field. It introduces readers to the application of anthropological theory and practice to real world examples in industry and will assist students in developing awareness, skill, and perspectives to help address real life situations they encounter in the world. Topics covered include: Defining applied, design and digital anthropology Explaining key research methods and approaches used in industry, government, and non-profit sectors Investigating issues internal to an organization that assist in managing change Covering topics like marketing communications, user experience, product development and entrepreneurship Explaining ways for organizations to partner and interact with communities, economics and politics to implement change Discussing approaches to encourage public conversation about social issues Business Anthropology: The Basics is an essential read for students and faculty approaching the subject for the first time.
