Unfolding practices with unfolding objects: standardization work in global branding

Morgan-Thomas, A. (2015) Unfolding practices with unfolding objects: standardization work in global branding. In: 4th Organizations, Artifacts and Practices (OAP) Workshop, Rome, Italy, 26-27 June 2014, pp. 174-177.

Abstract

Although significant efforts have focused on the question how the standardization of global branding works, very little research concerns standardization work i.e. how actors, objects and practices come together in the development and control of standards (see Chabowski et al. 2013). Yet, the development and control of standards involves power relations, negotiation and conflicts between competing visions and outcomes (Lyytinen and King 2006; Nickerson and Muehlen 2006). The complex standardization practice revolves around objects (D'Adderio 2011). Surprisingly, tools and are technologies of standardization are also absent from marketing literature. The current study focuses on the entanglement of global branding and digital artifacts. The project explores how digital objects are co-instituted and co-implicated in the generation, stabilization and control of international marketing practice. Our specific focus is on brand standards; we examine how digital affordances mesh with practices to enable and constrain standardization work.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Morgan-Thomas, Professor Anna
• Authors: Morgan-Thomas, A.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 The Author
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with permission of the publisher