The making of a makerspace in Ethiopia: A study of legitimacy using Actor-Network Theory

IF 1.2 Q4 MANAGEMENT

Africa Journal of Management Pub Date : 2022-07-03 DOI:10.1080/23322373.2022.2071577

Lucia Corsini

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Makerspaces are community-based design and fabrication spaces that enable the development of local solutions. Although the number of makerspaces in Africa is increasing, it is not well understood how these makerspaces deal with legitimacy challenges. This study aims to illuminate the process by which a newly established makerspace in Ethiopia seeks to gain, maintain and defend its legitimacy as a site for local innovation and production. It introduces Actor-Network Theory as a novels lens to study organizational legitimacy. The Actor-Network of BiT Makerspace in Bahir Dar is analyzed over a three-year period to show how a makerspace can establish itself as an Obligatory Passage Point via a networked legitimization process. This study enriches organizational theory on legitimacy, by introducing a new theoretical perspective that presents a procedural view of legitimacy that is continuous and bi-directional. Practically, this study identifies several strategies to support the legitimacy of makerspaces in Africa.

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埃塞俄比亚创客空间的形成:基于行动者网络理论的合法性研究

创客空间是基于社区的设计和制造空间，能够开发本地解决方案。尽管非洲的创客空间数量正在增加，但人们并不清楚这些创客空间如何应对合法性挑战。本研究旨在阐明埃塞俄比亚新成立的创客空间寻求获得、维持和捍卫其作为当地创新和生产场所的合法性的过程。引入行动者网络理论作为研究组织合法性的小说视角。对巴希尔达尔BiT创客空间的行动者网络进行了为期三年的分析，以展示创客空间如何通过网络合法化过程将自己建立为强制性通道点。本研究丰富了合法性的组织理论，引入了一种新的理论视角，提出了一种连续的、双向的程序性合法性观。实际上，本研究确定了几种支持非洲创客空间合法性的策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Africa Journal of Management Business, Management and Accounting-Business and International Management

CiteScore

2.80

自引率

15.40%

发文量

期刊介绍： The beginning of the Twenty First Century has witnessed Africa’s rise and progress as one of the fastest growing and most promising regions of the world. At the same time, serious challenges remain. To sustain and speed up momentum, avoid reversal, and deal effectively with emerging challenges and opportunities, Africa needs better management scholarship, education and practice. The purpose of the Africa Journal of Management (AJOM) is to advance management theory, research, education, practice and service in Africa by promoting the production and dissemination of high quality and relevant manuscripts. AJOM is committed to publishing original, rigorous, scholarly empirical and theoretical research papers, which demonstrate clear understanding of the management literature and draw on Africa’s local indigenous knowledge, wisdom and current realities. As the first scholarly journal of the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM), AJOM gives voice to all those who are committed to advancing management scholarship, education and practice in or about Africa, for the benefit of all of Africa. AJOM welcomes manuscripts that develop, test, replicate or validate management theories, tools and methods with Africa as the starting point. The journal is open to a wide range of quality, evidence-based methodological approaches and methods that “link” “Western” management theories with Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems, methods and practice. We are particularly interested in manuscripts which address Africa’s most important development needs, challenges and opportunities as well as the big management questions of the day. We are interested in research papers which address issues of ethical conduct in different African settings.