Dirty data

| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Trace elements, of course, need not be physical. One clue to possible dirty data lies in an organization's internal rules and policies, external laws concerning it, and professional codes of ethics. As Durkheim suggested, their presence is often a sign that members will face temptations to behave contrariwise. Their presence is also a clue to the presence of pressures toward social control corruption. Sociologists can draw upon their knowledge of organizations for clues to where dirty data is likely to be found. Certain structural and cultural characteristics can serve as likely barometers of dirty data. The developing literature on organizational deviance contains many clues (Needleman and Needleman, 1979; Sherman, 1980; Finney and Lesieur, 1982). Elements of folk culture such as humor, slang, nick-names, graffiti, and gossip can also offer clues.

- Gary Marx

0 TrackBacks

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Dirty data.

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.confectious.net/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2

Leave a comment

Pages

  • /thinking
  • projects

Archives