After a review of semiotic theory, this paper describes an ethnosemantic study of a funeral home that demonstrates how semiotically identical codes structure a funeral director's understanding of his work and how semiotic research can reveal rules by which members of an occupational culture generate meaning. (MJL)

Discusses the processes involved in a field study of technological change in radiology and how researchers can design a qualitative study and then collect data in a systematic and explicit manner. Illustrates the social and human problems of gaining entry into a research site, constructing a research role, and managing relationships. (63…

In a continuation of research on the technical labor force that was initiated in 1990 at a large northeastern university, professionalism among technical workers was examined from an emic perspective. (Emics are conceptual strategies that explain phenomena in terms meaningful to the people being studied, whereas etics explain phenomena in terms…