The papers of Frank A. Dubinskas, a noted anthropologist of organizational culture, primarily documents his research into automated manufacturing at Apple Computer, Inc., but also includes material relating to his research in Sierra Leone and Yugoslavia. Also included is some biograhical material as well as manuscripts and publications.
Scope and Contents:
The Frank A. Dubinskas papers primarily document his research into the social aspects of automated manufacturing at Apple Computer, but also includes a small mount of material from his earlier research as well as biographical information and writings.
Series 1. Biographical, comprises newsclippings, photographs, and other documents relating to Dubinskas' education, opposition to the draft, and employment. Also included are photographs of Dubinskas, as well as obituaries and memorials that followed his death.
Series 2. Research, includes a small amount of correspondence home and final paper relating to Dubinskas' Sierra Leone research into Mende woodcarving, and correspondence home and completed dissertation relating to research into Slavonian folklore in Yugoslavia. The bulk of the research series comprises Dubinskas' work on automated manufacturing at Apple Computer, Inc., specifically related to the istallation and implementation of an automated assembly line at Apple's Fremont facility. Materials consist of both paper and born-digital files and include correspondence, notes, reports, and presentations.
Series 3, Writings, include drafts and published articles and chapters by Dubinskas, as well as reviews of his edited volume, Making Time: Ethnographies of High-Technology Organizations. Also included are case studies that Dubinskas prepared for Harvard Business School and Digital Equipment Corporation.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in three series: 1. Biographical; 2. Research; and 3. Writings.
Biographical Note:
Frank A. Dubinskas (1946-1993) was an anthropologist of organizational behavior best known for his pioneering work in the field of the anthropology of science and technology. He went to Yale Universtiy for undergraduate studies in 1964, and in 1967 he conducted research in Sierra Leone, looking at the aesthetics of Mende woodcarving. He received his B.A. in anthropology 1972. He then went to Stanford University for his M.A. (1976) and Ph.D. (1983) in Anthropology, focusing his doctoral research on village expressive culture in Yugoslavia.
Dubinskas is most well known for his research into culture and technology in high-tech companies, particularly in manufacturing automation, knowledge management, and Chaos Theory in organizations. Among his various projects was his groundbreaking research into automated manufacturing implementation at Apple Computer in 1989-1990.
Dubinskas joined the faculty of the Organizational Studies Department in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College in 1987. From 1991-1992 he was a visiting scholar at the School of American Research in Santa Fe, NM, and in 1992 became the Howard W. Alkire Chair in International Business and Economics at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.
1946 -- Born
1964-1972 -- Undergraduate studies at Yale University (BA 1972)
1967 -- Research in Sierra Leone
1970-1972 -- Research assistant, Biology/biochemistry, Yale University
1972-1974 -- Research associate, physiology, Anatomy and biochemistry departments, UC Berkeley
1975-1976 -- MA in anthropology, Stanford University
1977-1980 -- Doctoral research in Yugoslavia
1983 -- PhD in anthropology, Stanford University
1983-1984 -- Exxon Fellow, MIT Science, Technology, and Society program
1984-1985 -- Visiting scholar, MIT Science, Technology and Society program and program in anthropology and archaeology
1981-1986 -- Research into US biotechnology industry
1984, 1988 -- Follow up research in Yugoslavia
1985-1987 -- Associate for Case Development, Harvard Business School, Production and Operations Management Group
1985-1993 -- Research into US computer industry and computer integrated manufacturing
1986-1988 -- Research into US and European automotive industry
1987-1992 -- Assistant professor, Organizational Studies Department, Carroll School of Management Boston College
1989-1991 -- Research into automated manufacturing at Apple Computer
1991-1992 -- NEH resident scholar, School of American Research
1992-1993 -- Howard W. Alkire Chair in International Business and Economics, associate professor of Anthropology, and director of international studies, Hamline University
1993, October 25 -- Dies in St. Paul, MN
Provenance:
Received from Anna Hargreaves and Dorothy W. Dubinskas in 1998 and 2000.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Access to the Frank A. Dubinskas papers requires an appointment.
