Scale in Research on Grand Challenges

Abstract Scalar terms, such as “local” and “global,” “big” “small” are fundamental in how academics practitioners make sense of respond to grand challenges. Yet, scale is so taken-for-granted that we rarely question or critically reflect on the concept it used. The aim this paper identify an important research challenges point out why taking for granted can be problematic. In particular, I suggest date most sees a ontological feature world. scalar categories hierarchies not self-evident given they may seem. Moreover, fixed category limits our ability of, theorize As alternative, seeing epistemological frame participants employ their everyday practices navigate develop solutions chapter concludes with agenda studying socially constructed practice. Keywords Scale Grand Ontology Epistemology Micro Macro Citation Dittrich, K. (2022), "Scale Research Challenges", Gümüsay, A.A., Marti, E., Trittin-Ulbrich, H. Wickert, C. (Ed.) Organizing Societal Challenges (Research Sociology Organizations, Vol. 79), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 187-203. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20220000079016 Publisher: Limited Copyright © 2022 Katharina Dittrich License This published under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone reproduce, distribute, translate create derivative works article (for both commercial & non-commercial purposes), subject full attribution original publication authors. terms licence seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode Introduction (George, Howard-Grenville, Joshi, Tihanyi, 2016). It already implied very word “grand” challenges, describing issues climate change, inequality poverty (see also Pradilla, Bento da Silva, Reinecke, 2022, volume) issue large-scale global importance. recent years, use “global” “local,” “large” “small,” have proliferated organizations, public discourse, politics academia. addition, idea origin one heated discussions organization management scholarship, is, debate between micro macro levels analysis. Thus, about time what barriers opportunities might present academic scholarship. abstract sense, simply measure relative size, extent degree something thus used refer scales, geographic space, volumes goods, number people, analysis forth (Marston, Jones, Woodward, 2005). Here, define commonly jurisdictional space (e.g., local, regional, national global) (Ferraro, Etzion, Gehman, 2015) people organizations impacted (George et al., think organizational itself. first For example, embedded definition “large-scale” “system-wide” problems (Ferraro 2015; George 2016; Jarzabkowski, Bednarek, Chalkias, Cacciatori, 2019) implicated whether need addressed level through central authority transnational agreements (Schüssler, Rüling, Wittneben, 2014; Wright Nyberg, 2016) local situated experimentation adaptation 2015). deeply appear exist pre-determined realities. consequential design conduct collecting data multiple (Jarzabkowski 2019). second problematize scale. small wins (Weick, 1984; Wickert de Bakker, 2018) suggests societal recast smaller ones recasting problem water pollution cleaning up lake). indicates participate construction rather than being pre-defined. different accounts construct differently. Sometimes powerful decisive one; other times, more significant tackling because affords adaptation. Finally, traditional thinking assumes power located top from there flow down impact bottom, actions. obstacles individuals feel can’t do anything problems, small-scale marginalized match problem, frequently get stuck trying satisfy concerns all stakeholders. Against background, third outline alternative way engaging practice, by ordinary social actors apprehend investigate group stakeholders involved strategizing challenge frames “national” “city” facing devise them (Pop Seidl, draw human geography (Jones, 1998; Marston 2005; Moore, 2008) has long history examining itself uncovering its nature. will show approach allows us (1) see fixed, but flexible fluid previously thought; (2) defining consequences these constructions collective action; (3) differently developing “new spatial grammars” (Bulkeley, 2005) which help tackle new ways. Cameron Hicks (2014, p. 60) argue, “bricolage, manouverability willingness take action place […] only possible when limited hierarchical imaginary.” Identifying Important Category four ways: are; responding challenges; (4) conducting First, definitions indicating understanding According al. (2016, 1880; emphasis added), “formulations plausibly coordinated collaborative effort.” They “barrier(s) that, if removed, would solve high likelihood widespread implementation” 2016, 1881; added). At same time, plays globally, comprises set nested within across manifests locally variety ways (Mair, Wolf, Seelos, Tilly, 1998). Climate change challenge, flooding rivers coastal regions, wild fires droughts. Krauss (2012, 150) puts it, “climate simultaneously universal localized particular.” play scale, ranging local. above description, primarily vertical (Marston implies ordering localities municipalities, regions departments, nations international community. “a horizontal ‘scope’ ‘extensiveness’” 2005, 420), “system-wide extend beyond boundaries single community” 2019, 121) affect many communities. Most – here no exception does clearly distinguish measures What imply relations levels. Levels linear progression large. often “as society really had bottom” (Latour, 1996, 371). meant studies phenomena been accused “micro-isolationism” (Seidl Whittington, 2014) little relevance outside circles, while macro-level dynamics processes lacking practical relevance. micro/macro seems impasse. endowed decision-making lower Similarly, changes greater communities geographies. These assumptions disagreement appropriate Some argue tackled means 2016), meta-organization Berkowitz Grothe-Hammer, 2021, Schüssler 2014). Nyberg 1656) “meaningfully world requires systemic intervention based around authority.” (2014) describe importance field-configuring events, United Nations (UN) conference, policy-making change. contrast, others complex, attempts solving paralyze 1984), commons (Olson, 1965; Ostrom, 1990), prevent effective collaboration (Bowen, Bansal, Slawinski, 2018), impossible advance best proceed Distributed actions enable wins, rapid experimentation, learning adaptation, sensitivity contexts. Ferraro (2015) States absence top-down commitment, numerous “bottom up” state regional policy initiatives reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Calderon (2017) shows communities, cities, firms taken address Recognizing efforts actions, Ostrom 353) argues “polycentric systems” where various action. context, multi-stakeholder partnerships try coordinate scales (Pinkse Kolk, 2011). review forms organizing please Danner-Schröder Kaufmann (2021, volume). two processes, scaling up, stand out. Scaling localizing refers moving higher levels, and/or solutions. (2012) describes scientists models North Sea effects (2016) Australian localize specific firm practices, identifying GHG process down, larger tangible quickly produce visible results Weick (1984) wins. head US Environmental Protection Agency 1970s did attempt clean aspects environment, narrowed “his year ‘getting started pollution’” 1984, 42). Bakker (2018, 63) CSR managers proceeded series instead overwhelming members “that perceived overly complex unwieldy fill anxiety.” turn, lower/smaller higher/larger experiments turned into changes. entrepreneurship Alvord, Brown, Letts, 2004; Perrini, Vurro, Costanzo, 2010). Seelos Mair (2017), emphasize enterprises want achieve impact, prepare engage up. authors examine NGO Gram Vikas sanitation program few villages rural India then scaled 1,140 (Mair Mair, 2017). providing people. slightly distributed “different prototypical [emerge combined] complement differential strengths weaknesses” 2015, 378). Another additional bring knowledge resources pursue successes Weick, 1984). order faster, Porter, Tuertscher, Huysman (2020, 277) operate useful “building upon solutions.” Lastly, key fact opportunity scholars study every individual, firm, inter-organizational even (Howard-Grenville, Buckle, Hoskins, George, Others highlight perplex instances, keeping hold “bigger picture”? To deal conundrum, Jarzabkowski (2019) strategies challenges: sites “local immersion manifestations looking variation” 122), using zooming (Nicolini, 2009) analytical technique shift contexts wider nature challenge. methodological techniques better theorizing connection (Cloutier Langley, 2020). Problematizing Existing takes for-granted assuming national, “exist” However, current literature seems. Latour (1983) reverse transform macro-problem anthrax disease common livestock nineteenth century lab. thought. significantly Assumptions flowing bottom effectively (Cameron Hicks, all, thereby emotionally detaching (Gatzweiler, Frey-Heger, Ronzani, way, disempower neglected cannot problem. negotiations stall impossibility interests stakeholders; yet, solution cope (Ostrom, 2012). words, easily thinking. Traditional lead “impact” narrow terms. Greater typically associated “global initiatives” (compared initiatives”) able (Seelos “act brake political possibilities” 2014, 57) blind openings possibilities Offering Alternative: Socially Constructed Practice An Such found long-established interest tradition “the scale-making, rescaling scale” (Moore, 2008, 204). 1980s, geographers “scales preexisting, stable structures constructed” (Papanastasiou, 2017a, 41). result research, called deployed apprehending knowing 2008; Papanastasiou, granted, practice 2008). Bowen (2018) illustrates turn analyze consortium 12 Canadian oil sand companies three environmental issues: tailing ponds, fresh-water usage, setting, were referred issues, respectively. assume issue, pre-determined. influenced effectiveness rules shaped issues. find “rules ones” (Bowen 2018, 1428) “issues alter balance competition” 1426). account, independent variable explain outcomes (the dependent variable). was revealed picture. Instead priori inherently global, could looked concepts facing. author’s empirical account became framed emphasized river basins affected usage “critics saw without demarcated boundaries” 1422). given. informants argued “water area you everywhere You globe” 1423). therefore difficult tackle. emissions hence examples become needs initiatives. Examining led opposite conclusion, outcome competitive collaborate antecedents these. Rather arguing alters competition, competition particular shapes constructions. helps further demonstrate studied patterns entrenched caste system, class gender. insights inequality, process. A closer reading study, however, reveals village enabling India, access controlled individual households, elites village. proposed “100% inclusion” rule required households program. Initially, resistance rule, convince leaders showing wish pure fulfilled proper 2033). village-level solved village-wide cut social, religious economic groups. institutionalized forming Village General Body served basis meetings making decisions. enabled funds government level. system-wide 1998), transforming inequality. Pop Seidl device flexibility categories. Smart City Northern Europe, “national, big city vs city” 28) made Open Data “which considered wicked itself” 25). initiative, initially discussed municipality, participant shifted issue: “When open should nationwide. So whole country go process” 16). working municipality data, agreed focus selected points. neither scope nor detailed ever fully understood. (other sensemaking devices include, temporality Stjerne, Wenzel, Svejenova, volume), metaphors Schoeneborn, Vásquez, Cornelissen, values Kroeger, Siebold, Günzel-Jensen, Saade, Heikkilä, volume)). Shifting over time. geographer Jones (1998, 26) argues, [of scale] continually contested fact, contestation, resolved moment quite some later historically Papanastasiou (2017a) context England’s educational policy, changed schools accountable authorities councils, government. 2000, introduced “clos[ed] failing secondary reopen[ed] academies. Academies receive funding directly […and] autonomy, becom[ing] free ‘control’” 45–46). school autonomy vis-á-vis relation Northwestern Council (a pseudonym), studied, again implemented policy. deliberately dissolved authority, constructing composite doing so, distant disconnected. short frame, struggles Investigating al