Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset

This second edition of Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset serves as a primer for practitioners who want to apply ethnography to real-world challenges and commercial ventures. Building on the first edition, each chapter now includes a section focusing on practical advice to help readers activate key insights in their work.

The book’s premise -- that the thought processes and patterns ethnographers develop through their practice have strategic value beyond consumer insights -- remains the same. Using real-world examples, Hasbrouck demonstrates how a more holistic view of an organization can help it benefit from a deeper understanding of its offerings within dynamic cultural contexts. In doing so, he argues that ethnographic thinking helps organizations increase appreciation for openness and exploration, hone interpretive skills, and cultivate holistic thinking; allowing them to broaden perspectives, challenge assumptions, and cross-pollinate ideas between differing viewpoints.

Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset is essential reading for managers and strategists who want to tap into the full potential that an ethnographic perspective offers, as well as those searching more broadly for new ways to innovate. It will also be of value to students and practitioners of applied ethnography, as well as professionals who would like to optimize the value of ethnographic thinking in their organizations.

Jay Hasbrouck is an anthropologist who drives product innovation and growth through insight into human behavior, culture, and universal needs. He has held positions at Intel, IDEO, Meta, and Google, as well as founding his own consultancy, Filament, and serving as partner at Ethnoworks. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology and an MA in Visual Anthropology, both from the University of Southern California, USA.