Riti di passaggio. Un approccio antropologico al mondo delle imprese

This essay deals with the issue of processes of transition in complex work organizations and the world of business. Phases of transition from one situation to the next may be conceptualized in terms of a specific ‘intercultural competence’ of the organization in crossing cultural borders. As this passage is characterized by a remarkable degree of ambivalence and multifaceted aspects, the essay purports to demonstrate how anthropologists may contribute to the comprehension of this phenomenon in all its complexity. Used as they are to work simultaneously in multiple contexts and to practice liminality, the anthropologists can explore the possibility of favouring innovation and learning processes within the organizations. The concepts of liminality and ‘intercultural competence’ are therefore the focus of this essay: we have endeavoured to survey the ways in which complexity is managed within the organizations and we suggest how the anthropologists, due to their training, may catch, apply and experience liminality in everyday work.