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Biodiversity and Conservation

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01-12-2008 | Original Paper

Dialectical relations between professionals and volunteers in a biodiversity monitoring organisation

Authors: Dan Podjed, Rajko Muršič

Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation | Issue 14/2008

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Abstract

The paper presents a case study of the changes in organisational culture of volunteer biodiversity monitoring organisations and is based on ethnographic research of Bird Watching and Bird Study Association of Slovenia (DOPPS). In the authors’ opinion, the dynamics of organisation’s culture is influenced by the emerging opposition between professionalism on one side and voluntarism on the other. It is explained that professionalism, though being a necessary developmental stage, may have a negative impact on voluntarism and may result in the reduction of the initial altruistic sentiments among members and hence decrease their willingness to participate. On the other hand, if an organisation depends entirely on volunteers, it may not survive and flourish in a changing socio-political environment. The paper is intended to provide a feasible solution for successful development of similar organisations facing constantly changing settings by erasing boundaries between categories of volunteers and professionals, which mitigates the dialectic processes.

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A similar attempt to explain development and change in organisations from the perspective of Eldredge and Gould has already been described in Gersick’s (1991) paper on revolutionary changes in organisational settings. In it the author explains that punctuated equilibrium is reflected in theories of many different and apparently incommensurable sciences, e.g. Levinson’s (1978) theory of individual adult development, Tushman and Romanelli’s (1985) theory of organisational evolution, Kuhn’s (1970) theory of history of science, Prigogine and Stengers’ (1984) theory of self-organisation, and in her own theory of group development (Gersick 1988).

Based on the given set of common assumptions, extremely different trajectories of the system can be achieved. Differences may stem from different interpretations of basic assumptions or are—more likely—derived from the basic gap between rules and their execution or from the inherent contradiction between structure and agency (Archer 1996). Thus the system itself provokes internal differentiation, and with processes of schismogenesis (Bateson 1987) many new systems emerge and increase cultural diversity. Many examples can be found in history of human organizations, but what is important is that systems apply both positive and negative feedback loops (Muršič 2000).

The term communitas describes the situation of the group of people that is going through various procedures that confirm the passage from one social status to another (e.g. from childhood to maturity). The final result of such rites of passage is the strengthening of the social ties and structure. Similar “unclear” and liminal situations make possible the latter formation of more clear relations between the bottom and top of the society (i.e. hierarchy).

The egalitarianism of the early years was not absolute and the power structures were still held by the founding members and the followers of their ideas. After all, Turner’s communitas is also a community of “equal individuals who submit together to the general authority of the ritual elders” (Turner 1974, p. 82; emphasis added).

Founder’s leaving resembles Freud’s explanation of the ambivalent relation between a father and his sons in the “earliest states of human society” (Freud 1961, p. 141). He asserted that the father, who was also a role model for the young ones, was gradually challenged by his sons as they grew. Eventually, they decided to cooperate and overthrew him.

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Title: Dialectical relations between professionals and volunteers in a biodiversity monitoring organisation
Authors: Dan Podjed
Rajko Muršič
Publication date: 01-12-2008
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation / Issue 14/2008
Print ISSN: 0960-3115
Electronic ISSN: 1572-9710
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9443-z

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