Governing Open Science through collaborations: An organizational case study

Introduction:

Accompanied by digital transformation, Open Science (OS) has become not only a normative but also an institutionalized endeavor within science and research. Consequently, various organizations have been established to provide infrastructures for OS. These include commercial publishers, as well as non-commercial institutions which have emerged in response to increasing commercialization in academia. Despite their different orientations, both types of organizations offer similar services and often rely on each other’s data. This research project explores the establishment, maintenance, and sustainability of collaborations between these organizations through ethnographic fieldwork in a transnational, publicly funded organization providing OS infrastructures.

Goals and Methods:

Considering the specificities of the academic system and its commercialization, the study aims to draw conclusions on how different organizational objectives – namely, fostering Open Science and generating revenue – are aligned in the development of such collaborations. To achieve this, an organizational ethnography (conducted in September/October 2025) was chosen as the methodological approach, as participation within the organization can yield valuable insights into organizational structures and decision-making processes related to the establishment of collaborations.

Ethnographic fieldwork has faced multiple changes, challenges, and opportunities due to the pandemic and ongoing digital transformation. Many organizations have shifted to (hybrid) remote work settings, which is especially beneficial for transnational organizations. The organization under study has established an office culture while simultaneously enabling employees to work from their home countries. Conducting the ethnography on-site at the headquarters allowed the use of methods such as participant observation, informal conversations, and interviews both in person and online.

Expected Results:

This hybrid approach is expected to provide insights along two dimensions. First, it will shed light on the development of sustainable collaborations with (private) organizations. Second, the specific research setting offers valuable methodological insights into how hybrid work arrangements require new contemporary organizational ethnographies.