RESEARCH PROFILE

Sociology of work, organization and management

Qualitative sociology (qualitative methods of social research)

The Department of Sociology of Organization and Management is a strong center of qualitative sociology, conducting empirical research using qualitative research methodology. At the same time, theoretical thought and methodological reflections are developed concerning grounded theory, contemplative sociology, symbolic interactionism, and master's and doctoral theses created in the Department refer to the interpretative paradigm. The research carried out in the department focuses on the sociology of work, organization, and management, including human resources management (HRM), sociology of interaction. The Department's employees also carry out research projects in other areas as part of their own research.

Topics of research:

• sociology of work and organization, economic sociology,
• organizational leadership, human resource management (HRM), communication,
• visual sociology, grounded theory, ethnography,
• contemplative sociology, hatha yoga, meditation
• sociology of the senses
• sociology of the body
• identity processes, development of competences, social awareness,
• social pragmatism, systemic analysis,
• sociology of deviation,
• problems of social worlds,
• sociology of emotions,
• sociology of disability,
• social aspects of the Internet, human-computer interactions (HCI)

SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS

On the initiative of the Department's employees, two publicly available (open access) scientific journals were created:

• Qualitative Sociology Review, http://www.qualitativesociologyreview.org/ENG/index_eng.php 
• Qualitative Sociology Review, http://www.przegladsocjologiijakosciowej.org/index_pl.php

The journals are open to all varieties of qualitative trends in social sciences, striving to integrate scientific researchers and to combine the high level of published articles with a short waiting time for publication.

RESEARCH COOPERATION

• Texas State University, San Marcos
• Institute of Social Sciences, Chuo University, Tokyo, www2.chuo-u.ac.jp/shaken/ISSCU-J.htm\
• European Sociological Association, Research Network No. 20- Qualitative Methods, www.valt.helsinki.fi/esa/qual.htm
• Polish Sociological Association, Section of Symbolic Interactionism and Qualitative Sociology, www.pts.org.pl/?q=jakosc
• SSSI Community for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, www.espach.salford.ac.uk/sssi
• SCOS Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism, www.scos.org
• EGOS European Group for Organizational Studies, www.egosnet.org
• IIAS International Institute for Asian Studies, www.iias.nl
• Budapest Open Access Initiative, www.soros.org/openaccess/index.shtml
• International Institute of Qualitative Methodology, www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/iiqm/

TEACHING

• compulsory classes for all types of sociological studies (including sociology of microstructures, qualitative research methods, psychology),
• optional classes in other fields of study (including methods of qualitative social research, Public Relations, coaching, communication, negotiations, advertising, design thinking)
• classes for the modules conducted by the Department: "Sociology of Organization and Management" (1st level of sociology), "Sociology of the senses" (2nd level of sociology), "Work and employment. Planning the path of professional development" (2nd level of sociology)
• Specialization module "Sociology of organization and management" - the issues of managing organizations, including tools enabling the study and creation of organizational culture, identity and image of the organization, communication and Public Relations processes, motivation systems, remuneration systems, training systems. Provides methodological knowledge and methodological skills regarding the diagnosis of management processes and work processes (organizational ethnography, analysis of visual aspects of work and organization, study of professional careers and employee biographies, etc.).

Sociology of organization and management (Sociology, I degree.)

• Recruitment, selection, assessment - tools of human resources management
• Coaching, mentoring - development of employee competences
• Employee motivation systems
• Ethnography of organization and diagnosis of organizational cultures
• Multiculturalism in management - methods of research of organizational processes
• Public relations
• Advertising messages and shaping the image - Psychology of advertising
• Communication and negotiations in organizations

Module Sociology of the senses. Experiencing the world (Sociology II degree)

• Contemplative sociology in the study of the body and sensual perception of the world 
• Sociology of senses: taste, sense of hearing
• Sensing the music
• Sensual experience of space - city - village
• Body and senses in intimate relationships. Experiencing closeness
• Sociology and anthropology of the senses - cultural and historical approach
• Alternate states of consciousness. Emotions and the experience of sensory perception
• Experiencing architecture and design
• Examination of the sensual experience of the world by people with disabilities
• Sensory Marketing. Constructing Ways of Experiencing the World
• Sensory Experience – Introduction to Visual Analysis

Module: Work and Employment. Planning the Path of Professional Development (Sociology II degree)

• Historical Conditioning of Work and Employment in Contemporary Society
• Personal Portfolio
• Employee Competencies
• Building a Personal Brand
• Contemporary Labor Market

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES OFFER

• The Department conducts postgraduate studies, enabling students to acquire specialist knowledge combined with exercises and apply the tools they have learned in practice.
• Postgraduate Studies in Coaching and Organizational Mentoring, www.coach-mentor.edu.pl/ 
• Postgraduate Studies in Methods of Supporting Interpersonal Relations Life Coaching, www.life-coaching.edu.pl 
• The Department also offers doctoral studies:
• Sociology Applied to Human Resources Management
• Public Relations
• Yoga, meditation and Emotion Management in Business
• Mindfulness in Education. Developing Social Competencies Based on Mindfulness in Youth and Children.
• Management Through Mindfulness.

OFFER OF COMMERCIAL RESEARCH AND CONSULTATION AND ADVISORY SERVICES

The Department of Sociology of Organization and Management specializes in research on the analysis of work, organization, and management - broadly understood socio-organizational phenomena and processes in enterprises and public institutions. The Department carries out its research projects, including those resulting from the University's scientific programs, and conducts activities to serve external entities.

Consulting and advisory services offered, within which research and analyses are carried out:

• Ethnography of the organization - diagnosis of organizational culture,
• Diagnosis of human resources management systems - using the ethnographic method,
• Design of evaluation systems,
• Personnel audit (ethnographic method supported by quantitative research),
• Analysis of personnel needs,
• Design of teamwork,
• Corporate coaching,
• Evaluation of implementations within the framework of personnel policy,
• Attitudes towards planned changes,
• Human resources management (HRM).

The conducted research is focused on improving the effectiveness of the company's operations, especially in the areas of:

• effective management of human potential,
• possibilities and conditions for introducing organizational changes,
• improvement of teamwork,
• effectiveness of the implemented personnel policy,
• degree of employee satisfaction with the workplace,
• functioning of communication in the company. 

Research projects carried out using the following methods and techniques:

• qualitative – This allows for reaching the causes of interpersonal actions and behavior that are not directly revealed and determining and interpreting deeply hidden beliefs. The research uses the interactionist ethnography case study method and contemplative research techniques. Qualitative research uses the following techniques: observation, free-form and narrative interviews, self-observation, extant data analysis, and analysis of photographs and video recordings. Finally, we present a full ethnographic report from the researched area.
• quantitative – describe organizational reality based on quantitative data. A large amount of collected data allows for obtaining a statistical picture of the researched population regarding selected features. Quantitative research was carried out using the following techniques: questionnaire interview and survey.