'When students and other researchers ask me how to go about doing an ethnomethodological study of work, there is no simple answer to give. With this collection, what I can now do is help them see why there is no simple answer while, nevertheless, getting them started on pursuing their first studies in ethnomethodology.' Eric Laurier, University of Edinburgh, UK 'Ethnomethodology, unlike most of sociology, looks at social conduct and such things as how people use talk to organise workplaces and how the examination of code in software engineering entails particular types of reading. Because of its remarkable concern for the empirical, ethnomethodology has been widely used outside sociology, in computer science and related disciplines especially, which need such evidence to make better designs. Who the human is and what they do matters to these disciplines.' Richard Harper, Microsoft Research Cambridge, UK 'Pugnacious yet inviting, this book will be an invaluable guide for those interested in the ethnomethodological perspective on work, but also why it has proven to be so influential in the study and design of technology. The book expertly balances empirical study with theoretical sophistication.' Barry Brown, University of California, San Diego, USA 'This is an accessible, engaging and rather provocative introduction to ethnomethodological studies of work. Key topics in organisational sociology are artfully re-examined as practical concerns and achievements of engineers, bankers, and more. Mark Rouncefield and Peter Tolmie deserve thanks for crafting a collection that delivers such a distinctive contribution to the sociology of work.' Jon Hindmarsh, King's College London, UK 'Some sociologists may sigh "grow up" to the "grumpy old men" who put their unruly ethnomethodological orientation to work here. But their impatience with "conceptual", "visionary", "fictional" interpretive sociology is incisively productive for sociology today (as well as practical endeavours of policy-making and socio-technical design), detailing the power of practical sociological reasoning amongst ordinary members and makers of society. A passionate and useful book for both teaching and research.' Monika Buscher, Lancaster University, UK 'The strength of this collection comes from all the contributors having worked together on various projects at various times (some of which are reported in the collection). This cross-fertilisation makes the collection more cumulative than most... a text worthy of study for all students of work (and technology), which, as is rightly pointed out, includes all of us.' Network 'By virtue of its being intended as a text for how ethnomethodological approaches can be utilized the book is successful in its effort. The studies referred to are not proposed as being complete but rather achieve at least one aim, namely, to show that the authors or researchers are competently using, drawing on or explicating, the ways in which they have used ethnomethodology to construct their studies. Their achievement is to be commended for they are demonstrating how a field of study may be "transformed" and/or how the phenomena are referred to as organizational elements can be "respecified" by using and ethnomethodological approach.' Contemporary Sociology 'Rouncefield and Tolmie have done a masterful job incorporating key chapters written by leading experts who set out to show rather than tell the reader how ethnomethodology is done. In doing so the ethnomethodologists' notorious 'anti-theory' stance that causes so much tension with other sociologists seems not only reasonable, but rather a good idea. The result is a process that transcends the preconceived ideological, philosophical and theoretical lenses the researcher might project onto the analysis of an interactive situation. What remains is an account that just tells us 'what is really going on here.'... Ethnomethodology at Work explores the contribution that ethnomethodological studies continue to make to our understanding of the ways in which people actually accomplish work from day to day. As such, it will appeal not only to those working in the areas of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, but also to those with interests in the sociology of work and organisations. It will also be of interest to those involved in the design of interactive system in general - i.e., in Human Computer Interaction... Overall, the book is detailed enough to be relevant to experts in the field, while at the same time uses language that makes it accessible to a broad audience. A main strength is that it provides insights into how one could adopt the ethnomethodological approach in one's own research. A bonus is that these insights are delivered with classic understated British commentary... The subject matter, the no nonsense title and the conservative cover are all in keeping with the conventions of a sociological texts but this is more than a dry, academic book. I am referring to the fact that the book provides a different perspective on human beings. No matter what one's view on the ethnomethodological approach might be, Ethnomethodology at Work captures the ingenious, industrious and often bumbling human as s/he goes about her daily activities. The result is a book that is intensely interesting and at times, deeply entertaining.' International Journal of People-Oriented Programming '... perhaps the greatest strength of the book, and of each of the chapters within it, is in providing numerous demonstrations of what ethnomethodological research on work can look like, how such research can be conducted, and the value of actually conducting it.' Discourse Studies 'This book provides an accessible and engaging introduction to ethnomethodology. It has been written to address the absence of introductory text books which explain the purpose, focus and merit of ethnomethodological studies... This book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying sociology, business studies and management sciences. It is also appropriate for generalist readers who are interested in learning about ethnomethodology.' SRA: Research Matters 'The rationale behind this book is to provide new-comers to the field, students and new researchers alike, with a basis for understanding ethnomethodology in practice. As such, this book would prove particularly useful for people interesting to engage into ethnomethodology and the clearly targeted readership makes it a well-focused book... Ethnomethodology at work provides readers with a solid understanding of ethnomethodology in practice. The various chapters illustrate many different aspects of organizational life 'calculations, meetings, power, planning, texts to name but a few' and within in each chapter, there is an attempt to show how ethnomethodology would view and tackle those particular issues within the workplace. Besides, throughout the book, there is a clear determination to distinguish ethnomethodology from the sociology of work and other approaches and to give ethnomethodology back its due credit.' Sociological Research Online
