Os fenômenos de discurso gerencial e tecnologias de vigilância no ambiente de trabalho em startups

Abstract

Contextualization – This dissertation starts from the premise that managerial discourse and control technologies have evolved, giving a new guise to surveillance in the workplace. This phenomenon often affects workers in some way and is common in technology-based companies, such as startups. Purpose – Therefore, the objective of this research is to comprehend the phenomena of managerial discourses and surveillance technologies in the startup workplace from the perspective of their managers. Methodology – Given that the research problem is characterized as a 'black box,' an ideal scenario for a qualitative approach, methodological procedures were guided by the technical analysis of Grounded Theory, specifically following Corbin and Strauss (2015) and supported by Atlas.ti qualitative software. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of startup companies located in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Results – The results indicate that managerial discourses (based on ideals such as self-management, purpose, and transparency) act to legitimize surveillance, which in turn validates the adoption of surveillance technologies (such as Trello, JIRA, WhatsApp, GitHub) with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of monitoring in the work environment. This effective monitoring reinforces the initial managerial discourse, closing a feedback loop that consolidates internalized forms of control. Contributions – The justifications for this work are based on three fronts. The first, of an academic nature, arises from the need to critically analyze workplace surveillance in the field of Administration. The methodological justification is supported by the existence of studies that used GT with less than necessary scientific rigor and with low presence in master's programs. Finally, the personal justification was motivated by unease with the presented dynamics and by the pressure in work environments with intensive use of technologies.