Graeme Smith

Background

About Graeme Smith

My body of research work studies the power of storytelling and narrative in shaping our perceptions and experiences, and the importance of a counter-narrative to challenge assumptions and foster productive discourse. My diagnostic model into the role of storytelling and narrative in shaping strategy discourse is thought-provoking and revealing. I currently research the intersection of strategy and narrative, and how these can be used to drive organizational change. The use of semiotic techniques to diagnose stakeholder positions is an innovative and valuable approach that can help organizations better understand how stakeholders perceive and respond to changes. Pivoting due to contingency is an important business strategy that can help organizations respond to changing customer demands, industry shifts, and environmental factors. Business anthropologists can play a vital role in supporting organizations in this process. By applying traditional anthropological insights to business, they can help companies understand and connect with customers, team cultures, and various departments. The ultimate goal of business anthropology is to understand individuals' meaning-making, changing world views in the face of change, and how they take a position through critical discourse analysis. By interpreting the information they collect, business anthropologists can help organizations identify what people think and what they want, providing valuable insights into potential roadblocks, areas of resistance, and opportunities for collaboration. Like small-scale societies, businesses have unique company cultures to examine, and business anthropology can help organizations cope with change by selecting the most appropriate courses of action for adaptation and evolution. In today's fast-changing times, anthropology is indeed a key part of the business toolkit for those who want to understand their business and keep it active and agile.