Social anthropologist employed by industrial corporations

Abstract

Large industrial projects are hiring corporate social anthropologists. What is this job about? Why do corporate anthropologists have to solve riddles, translate things “from native language into corporate language” and know where the “red button” might be hidden? The article by Oleg Bazaleev, who has worked as a corporate anthropologist in oil and gas and mining companies in Sakhalin, Middle East, West Africa and South America, answers all these questions. Oleg is currently based in Iraqi Kurdistan and holds the position of the social affairs manager in a UAE oil and gas company. The article highlights chief patterns of successful anthropological work in cross-cultural interactions, provides cases from the author’s professional experience, covers the skills and knowledge necessary for a social anthropologist employed by industrial corporations, and also dwells on ethical issues resulting from such work.