A Case Study Of University Organizational Stories

Recently the task of doing scientific research has brought a far-reaching change in high education institutions in China. In this thesis I try to analyze this phenomenon based on the theories of organizational story and CDA. I chose a college in Hangzhou as my research setting. My data includes these web news, conference speeches, and participant interviews, which all talk about the scientific research. Based on these data, I have conducted a case study to see what theoretical and empirical insights can be obtained through a critical analysis of the discourse of scientific research. In my thesis, it is argued that the grand story of scientific research has created a reality for the whole organizational community, and in this discourse reality doing research is pictured as "the only way to be". However, this discourse is ideological because the reality created serves the interests of part of this college's members, namely leaders and managing group. In the process of promoting the discourse, they gain the power. Because the grand story of scientific research is in the dominant position, it marginalizes other different stories and makes itself a monologue. However, an organization is plural vocal, where there are other stories: some of them are in the same line with the grand story, while others are against it. The analysis about these different stories can serve as a tool to show teachers' different attitudes toward the discourse of scientific research. Under these different voices there lies the struggle for the power. The thesis also points out that the discourse of scientific research produces all kinds of managing rules and institutional structure, which are like the Panopticon. In the Panopticon, some get the power to dominate others. However, in a sense, everyone is disciplined, not only teacher staff but also these leaders and managing staff. The whole university community is disciplined and controlled by the grand story of scientific research. The task of this thesis, hence, is to remove the mask of the discourse of scientific research and have a fresh look at the take-for-granted familiar thing. Moreover, I also should point out, the job I do now is just an attempt, not a final conclusion in any sense. If there is any contribution in this thesis, it is the attempt to apply a new way to look at the phenomenon of scientific research.