Methodological dilemmas of participatory and mobile ethnography in researching learning in organizational contexts

In this article, we examine the processes of participatory and mobile ethnography (PME) that emphasise the co-production of knowledge, collaborative research, and the varying roles and tasks of researchers in the ethnographic process. Based on two organisational research projects that focus on learning at work, we highlight the dilemmas associated with PME. In these projects, we produced ethnographic data in collaboration with organisational actors by using various technology-assisted mobile ethnographic tools or by involving key organisational personnel (co-researchers) in observing, reflecting on, and reporting their everyday work. This collectively constructed ethnography emphasises the importance of diverse actors and their varying practices, premises, and roles, and highlights ethnographic research as a learning context for both participants and researchers. Through data analysis, we reflect on three co-researching dilemmas related to PME: 1) The guidance dilemma, related to the instructions, support, and tools provided; 2) the experiential dilemma, which concerns the roles, expertise, and responsibilities of the actors as well as the temporal dimensions of the data; and 3) the epistemological dilemma, which pertains to the multilayered nature of knowledge production and levels of interpretation. Changes in working life, digitalisation, and the increasing diversity of work communities challenge the evolving of ethnographic methods. This study contributes new understanding of the roles, practices, and challenges associated with mobile and participatory forms of ethnography. Finally, we describe how learning is manifested in the ethnographic research process and which contexts for learning can be identified based on this article.