Seeing Together: Collaborative Photo-Voice in Organizational Field Research

Abstract

Engaging organizational members in collaborative field methods is an emerging approach in management and organizational research. Photo-voice is an appropriate yet underutilized approach for management scholars. Photo-voice is engaging, collaborative method that provides voice to typically voiceless actors in organizations. We detail the ontological assumptions underlying the photo-voice methodology, specifying how it is designed for participant close involvement in data collection, data analysis, and conveyance of findings to those in power. Alongside the participant, we describe the researcher’s role and decisions related to undertaking a photo-voice project. Photo-voice takes collaboration with field participants seriously, thereby offering opportunities for management and organizational research to build knowledge inaccessible in other collaborative approaches. Thus, we offer opportunities for photo-voice approaches to develop existing management theories through inclusion of voices and perspectives that are rarely incorporated in contemporary management and organizational field investigations.