NBN: Handbook of Anthropology in Business Interview

I recently had the opportunity to Interview Patricia Sunderland and Rita Denny of Practica Group, LLC, for the New Books in Anthropology Podcast.

If you would like to hear our interview, you can check it out here.

This handbook is a lot more like an anthology. There are 5 different sections, separated by topic, and over 60 articles. The editors chose to include works from disciplines outside of anthropology that employ anthropological techniques, such as ethnography. Really a great resource for anyone straddling several worlds all the while working in business.

You can see my interest.

The interview was great. These ladies are so easy to talk with, it made for a smooth conversation. Its not often that I get to talk with a professional with interest similar to mine, who have made their business work so well.

One thing I was most impressed with was that their group has operated out of two cities, mostly working remotely, for over 12 years. Try to find anthropologists who do that! That means that even back in 2003, they were using the internet to move their business forward. Many PhD’s that I have spoken with, don’t do fieldwork with a remote team.

Unless of course you mean in a remote location. And that is getting more rare these days. Anthropologists these days are more interested in the urban jungle. Some, like me, are even technologists and developers.

What I loved the most about this handbook was it’s willingness to give a little. They still employ the anthropological tookit, and follow ethics, but the recognize that you have to adjust to the changing times and location. The foreign is always exotic, but the familiar can be even more so, if you know how to look. In a time when technology is changing and re-changing our lives every 2 years, a few hybrids who understand both sides of the coin will come in handy.

If interested in this book, check it out: