Bridgework: A Model of Brokering Relationships Across Social Boundaries in Organizations

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Johnson, Tiffany D.; Joshi, Aparna; Kreiner, Glen E.
• 署名单位: University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology; Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); Pennsylvania State University; Pennsylvania State University - University Park; Utah System of Higher Education; University of Utah
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.1631
• 发表日期: 2023
• 关键词: stigma; Brokerage; BOUNDARIES; diversity; disability; allyship; qualitative

摘要

Relationships are central to organizing, work, and organizations. Yet, in many instances, relationships do not build themselves, and third-party actors are often needed to intervene in situations, persuade individuals, and facilitate connections across disconnected actors in organizations. Little is known about the strategies through which third-party actors can broker relationships across what are considered to be intractable social boundaries-membership in stigmatized or nonstigmatized social identity-based groups. We build a process theory of what we call bridgework, the strategy used by third-party agents, intermediaries, and allies to bridge by shifting value-related perceptions about actors on the other side of social identity-based divides. More specifically, we focus on a stigmatizing social identity that can create boundaries that are often reinforced through informal network ties. Based on interviews, participatory observation, and archival data with job coaches for adults with autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities, we showcase a model of bridgework-a combination of internal and external strategies across three stages (adding, stabilizing, and maintaining perceptions of value) to facilitate relationships between stigmatized and nonstigmatized members of organizations. We discuss how our grounded model contributes to the rich traditions of research on stigma, brokerage, disability studies, positive relationships, and compassion in organizations.