G. (Giorgio) Touburg MSc

Rotterdam School of Management (RSM)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
ERIM PhD Candidate
Field: Organisation
Affiliated since 2012

Giorgio Touburg is an external PhD researcher at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM).

He is writing a dissertation on the double hermeneutic of organization and management theory. He has a background in sociology (urban studies), obtaining both his bachelor’s and master’s degree from Erasmus University. Giorgio is currently employed as a lecturer in qualitative methods at VU University Amsterdam.

He has conducted and coordinated research on a variety of topics, including knowledge migration, radicalization and cultural differences at work. He has also taught on a number of different topics, ranging from urban sociology and globalization to organizational sociology and cross-cultural management.

At RSM, Giorgio has taught and coordinated a course on cross-cultural management and lectured about Dutch culture. Giorgio has published articles and book reviews in both Dutch and international peer-reviewed journals.

In addition to his PhD work and his work at the VU, Giorgio occasionally writes op-ed pieces and columns.

PhD Track Cultivating Closeness: Micro-Level Perspectives on the Transnationalization of Knowledge-Intensive Firms

In today’s global economy, economic actors are increasingly interconnected. Professional service firms (PSFs) play a crucial role in connecting and catering to the globalization of the economy. These firms provide idiosyncratic, knowledge-intensive and highly customized services to other firms. Increasingly, these PSFs are globalizing as well, which poses a number of challenges. Many PSFs encounter problems when they try to centralize decisions, as offering context-dependent services in a variety of cultural and institutional contexts proves to be extremely difficult. With the studies suggested in this proposal, I aim to investigate this phenomenon using two different, but related theoretical frameworks.

The first study looks at the problem of normative control in internationally operating knowledge-intensive firms like PSFs: in such firms, traditional bureaucratic measures to monitor and control work are unsuccessful, because of the specialist and interactive nature of the services offered. Therefore, managers often appeal to a specific organizational identity to instill a sense of loyalty and compliance in their employees. In a multinational environment, such an appeal to a specific identity is difficult, because of the diverse body of employees and customers. I will investigate this phenomenon through a case study of a Dutch subsidiary of a multinational consultancy firm, employing both Dutch and Indian consultants and managers.

The second study uses novel geographic insights to investigate the ways in which employees create, modify and exchange context-sensitive knowledge in an environment with actors from different cultural contexts. The first part of the study uses a deterritorialized notion of proximity and uses qualitative interviews with consultants and managers to reconstruct which proximities are most important. The second part of the study will check the propositions developed in the first part through the analysis of the ego-networks of employees of different PSFs.

Keywords
Normative control, professional service firms, globalization, proximity, knowledge work
Time frame
2012 -

Publications

  • Academic (4)
    • Touburg, G. (2016). National Habitus: An Antidote to the Resilience of Hofstede’s ‘National Culture’? Journal of Organizational Change Management, 29(1), 81-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-11-2015-0219

    • Touburg, G., & Veenhoven, R. (2014). Mental Health Care and Average Happiness: Strong Effect in Developed Nations. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 42(4), 394-404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0579-8

    • Burgers, J., & Touburg, G. (2013). International Mobility of Professional Knowledge from the Global South: Indian IT Workers in the Netherlands. Global networks : a journal of transnational affairs, 13(4), 517-534. https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12012

    • Burgers, J., & Touburg, G. (2012). De overkomst van kenniswerkers uit niet-westerse landen naar geavanceerde economieën: Indiase IT professionals in Nederland. Sociologie, 8(2), 248-268. https://doi.org/10.5117/SOC2012.2.BOHE

  • Popular (29)
    • Touburg, G. (2017). Geleende tijd. Erasmus Magazine, 20(8), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Academische correctheid. Erasmus Magazine, 20(5), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Academic Correctness. Erasmus Magazine, 20(5), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Stemmen met gebalde vuisten. Erasmus Magazine, 20(6), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Voting with Clenched Fists. Erasmus Magazine, 20(6), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). This Column Will Change Your Life! Erasmus Magazine, 20(7), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Deze column zal je verbazen! Erasmus Magazine, 20(7), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Borrowed Time. Erasmus Magazine, 20(8), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Hard reset. Erasmus Magazine, 20(9), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Hard Reset. Erasmus Magazine, 20(9), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Afschaffen die hap. Erasmus Magazine, 20(10), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2017). Let's Get Rid of the Bloody Things. Erasmus Magazine, 20(10), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Gonorrhea or Cholera. Erasmus Magazine, 20(2), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Intolerant Atheism. Erasmus Magazine, 20(4), 11.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). It's All Gone Pea-Shaped! Erasmus Magazine, 20(3), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Snertwerk. Erasmus Magazine, 20(3), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Gesubsidieerd apenkooien. Erasmus Magazine, 20(1), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Spamfilter. Erasmus Magazine, 19(10), 11.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Reality check. Erasmus Magazine, 19(9), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Innovatie. Erasmus Magazine, 19(8), 34.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Rijdende trein. Erasmus Magazine, 19(7), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Dubbel genaaid. Erasmus Magazine, 19(6), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Echokamers. Erasmus Magazine, 19(5), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Wild and Subsidised Fun. Erasmus Magazine, 20(1), 15.

    • Touburg, G. (2015). Stille krachten. Erasmus Magazine, 19(4), 20.

    • Touburg, G. (2015). Quiet Forces. Erasmus Magazine, 19(4), 20.

    • Touburg, G. (2015). Zelffelicitatie. Erasmus Magazine, 19(3), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2015). Trots. Erasmus Magazine, 19(2), 8.

    • Touburg, G. (2015). Guilt trip. Erasmus Magazine, 19(1), 8.

  • Professional (2)
    • Touburg, G. (2019). Geert Hofstede: verguisd of gevierd? Sociologie Magazine, 27(1), 10-11. http://hdl.handle.net/1765/115127

    • Touburg, G. (2016). Why Managers Should Not Treat Nationality as ‘Software of the Mind’. RSM Discovery - Management Knowledge.

  • Popular (1)
    • Touburg, G. (2016). Schiebroek. In J. Kerklaan, & O. Vijfvinkel (Eds.), Groots Rotterdam scheurkalender 2017 DrukwerkMAX.

  • Academic (6)
    • Touburg, G., & Essers, J. (2019). Mythologizing Management: A Mythographic Analysis of the Case Method. 11th International Critical Management Studies Conference, Milton Keynes.

    • Touburg, G., & Essers, J. (2018). Mythologizing Management: A Mythographic Analysis of the Case Method. 7th International Conference on Rhetoric and Narratives in Management Research, Barcelona.

    • Touburg, G. (2013). Culture and Actionable Knowledge: Proximities and Transfers. 12th Annual IACCM Conference, Rotterdam.

    • Touburg, G., & Lee, C. (2013). Tacit Knowledge Transfer through Global Narratives. 5th International Conference on Rhetoric and Narratives in Management Research, Barcelona. http://hdl.handle.net/1765/39581

    • Touburg, G. (2011). Soft Skills, Tacit Ties: Exploring the Role of Non-Geographical Proximities in International Knowledge Transfer. RC21 Annual Conference, Amsterdam. http://hdl.handle.net/1765/38220

    • Burgers, J., Touburg, G., & Sonneveld, W. (2011). Indiase kenniswerkers binnen Capgemini: het bedrijf als 'nabijheid'. Dag van de Sociologie, Ghent.

  • Professional (2)
    • Entzinger, H., & Touburg, G. (2011). Terug naar Curaçao? Hoog opgeleide Curaçaoënaars voor de keuze. Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (EUR). http://hdl.handle.net/1765/37514

    • Touburg, G. (2010). Soft Skills, Tacit Ties: An Explorative Case Study about the Relationship between Knowledge Types and Migration Patterns (Report for the IHS). Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). http://hdl.handle.net/1765/37276

  • Popular (7)
    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2017). Hoe De Correspondent racisten legitimeert en critici de mond snoert. Web publication/site, Frontaal Naakt.

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2016). Hoe de media zich inspannen om Jeremy Corbyn uit te schakelen. Web publication/site, Frontaal Naakt.

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2016). Daan Roosegaarde bij College Tour: narcist of slachtoffer?. Web publication/site, Joop.

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2015). Saskia Sassen: "Rotterdam niet als bedrijfskundige managen": interview met socioloog Saskia Sassen. Web publication/site, .

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2015). Hypocriete borstklopperij. Web publication/site, Republiek Allochtonië.

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2014). Ordehandhavers op CS zijn lemmings. Web publication/site, Vers Beton.

    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2014). Golf van afschuw over Wilders: too little, too late. Web publication/site, The Post Online.

  • Professional (1)
    • Touburg, G. (Author). (2018). Talking Globalisation into Being. Web publication/site, CESAM Blog.

  • Erasmus Research Institute of Management (Organisational unit)

    Membership of council (Academic)

  • Nederlandse Sociologische Vereniging (External organisation)

    Membership of network (Academic)

2015
December
11
Research Seminar
As: Contact, Coordinator

Address

Visiting address

Office: Mandeville Building T04-10
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3062 PA Rotterdam

Postal address

Postbus 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands