Reworking gendering practices in work

Päivi Korvajärvi, Senior Scientist, Academy of Finland 2008-2009

The research during the Senior Scientist period draws on my three research perspectives: 1) practicing gender in work organizations; 2) gender and social capital and 3) new trends of performing gender in work. The first perspective forms the shoulders for my analysis, whereas the second one is based on a research project led by me. The third one is based on a starting research project. Thus at the moment it is a more exploratory one than the second perspective.

The aim is to produce new knowledge on practicing gender in work. In addition, the aim is the supervision of doctoral students in the area. The aim of the research is to concentrate on three questions:
- how does gender neutrality result in unequal ways of practicing gender?
- what are the gendered bases for creating trust relations between employees and customers in work?
- in what ways is gender embedded in the required skills, aesthetic work and in branding oneself, in work in the service sector?

The data consists of

1. semi-structured interviews and observations collected in four service sector workplaces three times in 1986-1996 (an employment office, a municipal unit in a social work office, an in-house call center in an insurance company, clerical workers in a metal company), including  108 transcribed interviews (including employees and directors) and 59 observation days, which are available as written fieldwork diaries
2. semi-structured interviews and observations in different call centers between 1998-2005 (both in-house call centers and independent call centre firms) including 82 transcribed interviews and nine observation days. The major part of this data is collected within the frame of studying social capital and trust.
3. In addition, there is a need for new material for the task of looking for new ways of performing gender and branding the self in work. During the Senior Scientist grant I will gather 15 interviews of consultants who coach job seekers to make a success in recruitment.