How Nonemployer Firms Stage-Manage Ad Hoc Collaboration: An Activity Theory Analysis
Abstract
Nonemployer firms—firms with no employees—present themselves as larger, more stable firms to take on clients’ projects. They then achieve these projects by recruiting subcontractors, guiding subcontractors’ interactions with clients, and coordinating subcontractors to protect their team performance for the client. Using fourth-generation activity theory, I examine how these firms stage-manage their ad hoc collaborations. I conclude by describing the implications for further developing fourth-generation activity theory to study such instances of knowledge work.
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Three of the 4GAT sources cited in this review are field studies in professional communication [44][46][47].
“In fact, three of the 4GAT sources cited here are field studies in professional communication [44][46][47].”
From Fourth-Generation Activity Theory: An Integrative Literature Review and Implications for Professional Communication (2019) · cites this paper as [44]
One source investigated how nonemployer firms developed subcontractor networks [44].
“One source explored how nonemployer firms cultivated subcontractor networks [44].”
From Fourth-Generation Activity Theory: An Integrative Literature Review and Implications for Professional Communication (2019) · cites this paper as [44]
Cites
Basics of Qualitative Research (3rd ed.): Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008) · SAGE · doi:10.4135/9781452230153 · Cited by 12,136 · see citing works
The Rise of the Network Society
Castells, M. (2009) · doi:10.1002/9781444319514 · Cited by 4,664 · see citing works
Working Alone Together: Coworking as Emergent Collaborative Activity
Spinuzzi, C. (2012) · Journal of Business and Technical Communication · doi:10.1177/1050651912444070 · Cited by 764 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Method Section as Conceptual Epicenter in Constructing Social Science Research Reports
Smagorinsky, P. (2008) · Written Communication · doi:10.1177/0741088308317815 · Cited by 549 · see citing works
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Spinuzzi, C., & Guile, D. (2019) · 2019 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (ProComm) · doi:10.1109/procomm.2019.00012 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Spinuzzi, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Texas
- Corresponding author
- Spinuzzi, Clay
- ORCID
- Spinuzzi, Clay
- Venue
- Technical Communication Quarterly
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-03-04
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 88-114
- ISSN
- 1057-2252 (ISSN-L)
- 1542-7625
- OpenAlex
- W2012415076
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 8.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Technical Communication Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- Texas ScholarWorks (Texas Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Innovative Education and Learning Practices
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Information Systems Theories and Implementation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Keywords
- ad-hoc collaboration, subcontracting, client projects, subcontractor coordination, team performance, knowledge work, activity theory, project management
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Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
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