ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that work is increasingly about the analysis and manipulation of symbols, the interactive production of feelings, and the generation of images—forms of work that self-evidently revolve around actors engaging in communication with others. It outlines key stories that scholars have told about the major transformations in working and organizing associated with contemporary capitalism. The chapter argues that communication is the force that constitutes working (and organizing), in turn, constitutes economic realities. It also argues that a view of communication grounded in relationality is to play a heuristic role, scholars must marshal a conception of communication rich enough to illuminate (and reframe) the practices of contemporary capitalism. The chapter presents conceptions of relationality to analyze not only their onto-epistemological assertions but also their capacity to contribute novelty to investigations. It examines the multiplicity of "the product" in high-tech startup entrepreneurship. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.
