Interactive service and professional culture: Academic reference librarians in an emerging context.

摘要

This study uses a micro-analysis of interaction approach to study how interactive service workers collaborate with one another in conversations to construct their professional identity in the face of rapid contextual change. The data consist of (1) a complex written exchange downloaded from an Internet listserv and (2) a mechanically recorded conversation and detailed transcript showing the exact sequence of turns in the conversation, overlapping utterances, laughter, and speech errors. Everyday descriptions in these conversations reveal how knowledge workers produce and reproduce professional identity and a shared culture in the ways they: (1) Categorize themselves and other workers (Chapter 3), (2) Amend or collaborate on each other's characterizations of clients (Chapter 4), and (3) Negotiate local policies and rules as they intersect with professional values and emotional boundaries (Chapter 5).