To contextualise our findings, we first provide an introduction to the Coronation Street case study with background information on the Coronation Street production unit and how the CLT was designed and delivered.
Carbon Literacy Training Background
CLT as practised in Coronation Street and therefore in this paper, is based on the definition given by Cooler Project CIC in their Carbon Literacy Standard (2016, p. 1): “An awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organizational basis.” The Carbon Literacy Project (2011, and Carbon Literacy Standard 2016) developed by Cooler Projects CIC (2011) was recognised as being globally unique at the Paris Climate Summit in 2015 and has been listed as a Transformative Action Program.
The CLT at Coronation Street was designed in a partnership between Cooler Project, BBC North and ITV. One of the principles of the Carbon Literacy standard is peer-to-peer learning and social learning by design, meaning the creators of the training were from the same background, familiar with the creative industries and, more specifically, with the work within a production unit. A specific pedagogy was applied, introducing the science in a very accessible way using storytelling, games, role playing and quizzes which is consistent with the predominant cultures and narratives within the television industry. These were adapted to the dominant areas of practice (production, editorial, leadership) with the clear aim to achieve changes in practice through the use of pledges. The CLT programme was championed by a Senior Production Manager within Coronation Street who was also involved in the design. This manager negotiated across both Coronation Street and ITV to gain support and buy-in for the training and, as a result, the CLT training was compulsory for the HoD within Coronation Street. Despite the compulsory nature of the training, the HoD were left to their own initiative as to how they wanted to implement the training within their departments. However, the Senior Production Manager would hold regular meetings with the HoD to evaluate progress being made and problems being encountered.
The training was delivered by someone who had a television background but was external to Coronation Street; this enabled them to both understand the challenges a production unit faces and provide legitimacy to the participants. The training was designed to fit within the culture of television industry which traditionally rejects anything perceived as “too corporate.” Within the CLT cohorts there was a mix of participants from different departments, however, there was a differentiation made between CLT for production, editorial, leader, producer, and technologists. For example, in the Production-CLT there was a mix of departments, including the more technical departments such as sound, lighting and transport, but also the more creative departments such as costumes and props.
Throughout, the CLT informants were encouraged to reflect on climate change and how it was linked to their individual values and personal identity and, more importantly, tied to commitment and action both at an individual level and in their professional roles. The trainer prompted the group to create a proactive mind-set of shared targets and tentatively suggested common values that the group could adopt to make improvements both on a personal and collective level. The participants were encouraged to design an action plan which outlined the next steps their team could take. Each participant also formulated a personal commitment in the form of a pledge and, on completion of the training, they received a Carbon Literacy Certificate 2017 issued by Cooler Projects.
How has CLT Influenced Social Learning at an Individual Level and at Group Level?
Identity captures past experiences, learning, competence and perception of self but also contains future hopes, plans and ambition (Wenger 2000). Identity not only shapes the nature of engagement with social learning within CoP but is also shaped by the participation within the CoP (Lucas and Ogilvie 2006). In other words, this is where the individual learning outcomes from CoP participation reside, both in terms of identity within the group “becoming the expert on…” but also in broader self-identity (Lave and Wenger 1991).
In Coronation Street the framing of self-identity influenced how participants engaged in and learned from CLT training and how they translated this knowledge into practice within their respective CoPs (Wenger 2000; O’Donnell et al. 2003). There were two distinct clusters; those that classified themselves as “scientists” or “techie” and those that identified themselves as “creative” and “artistic.” Those self-identified as “scientists” tended to be more evidence-based when discussing and engaging with climate change and sustainability, both within Coronation Street and in the broader world context. They were also inclined to identify as “sceptical” and more strongly highlight the barriers to change. Within their CoPs, they tended towards more technical adaptations and evidence-based solutions often framed within technical boundaries.
Those individuals who identified as “artistic” or “creative” tended to be less evidence-based but more values driven in their engagement with CLT and CoPs. Rather than seeing barriers, they saw a “challenge” which acted as catalyst for creative solutions both at an individual level and within their respective CoPs.
Identity also shaped attitude and perception of climate change as an issue. All those who self-identified as being artistic saw climate change as an opportunity whilst those who identified themselves as “scientific” varied between opportunity or threat. All informants had prior knowledge of climate change to varying degrees, although none would identify themselves as “Carbon Literate” before the training. Some of the informants exhibited more deeply rooted environmental embeddedness within their identities:
…this is me in my life, mend, reuse or recycle. Creative Show (1).
I probably always have been very open to it and environmentally aware and it probably comes from my background as well. My mum was an avid Greenpeace supporter and campaigner so I think, subconsciously, it’s always been there. Production Creative (2)
…when I started to look into where things came from I was like, I don’t agree with this at all. So then I started to change my vote with my pound, basically, so it started with not buying anything that was tested on animals Production Creative (3).
…there is always the sceptical side it’s not happening, it’s isn’t… you know those angles anyway… I think it is quite interesting to know the arguments for and against and see how the swingometer swings. Production Technical (2).
The course itself created a social learning space across CoP, and hence it is a boundary practice, with the course content/notes being boundary objects that are taken back into CoP. As Wenger (2000) states central to the learning at the boundary is the experience and engagement of the individual. This was embedded within the CLT design:
There is a lot in there so it is definitely NOT ‘this is climate change, here’s another Polar Bear’ and it’s not just a manual of how to play with your thermostat. It is all of that with the essential wrapping of social learning throughout. So it starts with you, us, and making it relevant from the off. CLT Leader/Production (1).
Central to this notion of social learning within the CLT is the connectivity between “you” (individual) and “us” (community/collective) and for that connection to develop, arguably there needs to be a “common purpose.” As argued by Wenger (2000) there needs to be “close tension” for learning to take place which, at individual identity level, means some alignment or commonality in values and identity but with enough “tension” or difference to trigger change. This alignment process between the “you” and “us” came through when interviewees discussed how they experienced CLT, where home life, past-experiences and work life all became interconnected:
I wouldn’t describe myself as carbon literate. I would have liked to have described myself as aware of endeavouring to have a sustainable life in that I recycle at home but it didn’t really bring it into work until the carbon literacy training. Production Creative (1).
I’ve got kids myself so I’ve got to think of where they’re going and how they are going to get on in the future. If I can do something to help them, then it’s my responsibility to do it… We all need to work together, I think, and we all know that we need to have that responsibility and take it. Production Technical (3).
Reflection on different experiences within the CLT group are crucial to social learning at a group level. The reflection process at individual and group level is triggered by differences in experience and practice within the group (Wals 2010; Keen et al. 2005). This reflection process provides space to enable conversation (Habermas 1984; O’Donnell et al. 2003; Benn and Martin 2010) and negotiation and collaboration (Keen et al. 2005), particularly where differing interests exist (Keen et al. 2005).
The CLT boundary spanning practice is designed with experience and action as central to the course. This provided the points of reflection and conversation about past experiences and knowledge at both individual and group level:
It’s the difference between learning about climate change as a subject and actually learning about it as something you are going to get involved in and do, and it actually requires you to do. CLT Leader/Production (1)
CLT is designed to bring people together with a common purpose (Coronation Street, Carbon Literacy) but from across departments. By doing so it created space to discuss the different interests, experiences and competences, to create a “boundary spanning practice” (Wenger 2000). The strength of this exploration through peer-to-peer learning came through in the interviews, hence suggesting the CLT was successful in creating a space for negotiation of meaning and collaboration (Keen et al. 2005):
Everybody participated and it was like no sort of sense of right or wrong. You were guided rather than pushed which I really enjoyed. I thought it was great to mix up people from different departments because actually I have no idea what they do on the floor because I never go down there on the production so to mix people up and get those different aspects of it. Production Creative (1).
Similarly, the common purpose led to a sense of belonging, partially through the “you” and “us” process which was experienced as being empowering. This suggests that the CLT evolved from a boundary spanning practice to also being a functioning CLT CoP:
I think probably the ability of everybody as a group to act together to have an impact rather than try and struggle… when everybody gets it and they have one mind, I think that’s the overall feeling I got from the course. Production Technical (2).
For a successful sustained social learning within a CoP, Wenger (2000) argues that the energy levels activated within the CoP play a key role in success. Energy levels are usually reflected in the levels of “spirit of inquiry” in order to maintain interest and learn through “trial and error” in practice (Wenger 2000). The CLT program gave participants the opportunity to try new approaches, make mistakes, and challenge in a safe space (Waitoller and Kozleski 2013) by utilizing games, storytelling and role play. This seemed to spark a “spirit of inquiry” as interviews highlighted an appetite for further learning and experimentation following the course:
I could do with refreshing my…. as you would do a First Aid course. I could do with refreshing my knowledge a little bit, do a little bit more research personally. Production Technical (2).
I think it made me more aware of how we could change things in the work environment. I have changed things at home as well in (…). I’ve been more aware of that I suppose at home and in work as well since we did the training. Production Technical (3).
The CLT was designed to act as a trigger, or catalyst, for change through the combination of climate science with activities and experiences. There is also a strong action orientation with informants developing both personal (self) and work (us) commitments for action and change. Social learning theory suggests that successful social learning delivers changes in values and norms and a deeper understanding (Keen et al. 2005), potentially leading to transformative learning where there is disruption in the problematization of everyday events (Wals 2007):
I think for different people we are always seeking that catalytic trigger point. But it is not enough to have the trigger point unless there is a path for supported action to go on. That’s why the emphasis on the low carbon culture and the carbon literacy organization is so important. CLT Leader/Production (1)
There was evidence of “catalyst effects” from the CLT in the interviews, however there were distinct differences between interviewees which seemed to hinge around identity. Those that identified themselves as “scientific” and “techie” referred to the science and the measurement toolkit as a catalytic point:
I think that, well there’s an awakening, when you start seeing how big do you think the size of your carbon footprint is when you measure it because you had to measure yours. And what, you can’t visualise what that actually looks like so part of the training actually showed you the size of what your carbon footprint was. Production Technical (1).
Those that identified themselves as “artistic” and “creative” tended to see the pedagogy and use of narrative as catalysts in the CLT programme:
That was one thing, the story-telling skills we have when we were doing those narratives, we could apply those. Definitely in there so it was actually in the course itself, it did lend itself. And I do think that we, I have seen a difference, I have seen a difference in people’s behaviour and it has had a lasting effect on how people think. Production Creative (1).
This provides some interesting insights but also raises some further questions. All interviewees received the same course content but engaged with it and experienced it in very different ways. Transformational learning occurred, but both the catalysts and mode of participation were different, seemingly based upon individual self-identity. This confirms and extends Wenger (2000) who found that individuals experience boundaries uniquely by highlighting the role of identity in this process. The first interviewee, Production Technical (1), was participating through a technical/scientific process, through carbon measurement and evidence. The second interviewee, Production Creative (1) was participating though creating, exploring, and imagining. These ways of engaging and participating align to Wenger’s modes of belonging to CoP (Wenger 2000). Both demonstrated Wenger’s first mode of belonging, “engagement” however Production Technical (1) was demonstrating more of an alignment mode of belonging through scientific process, whilst Production Creative (1) was demonstrating belonging by “imagining” through the creative storytelling element (Wenger 2000). Belonging to the CLT CoP manifested differently for different people influenced by identity. This raises the question, does identity and belonging influence the translation of CLT knowledge and boundary objects into their respective CoP?
Within CoP Translation of CLT Boundary Object and Within CoP Social Learning Processes
The second stage in understanding how systems of social learning lead to change in practice is to explore how CLT knowledge (a boundary object) is translated, interpreted and re-negotiated to develop new meanings, new knowledge and new practices within, and between, the various CoPs (Wenger 2000; Briers and Chua 2001; Barton and Tusting 2005; Mäkitalo and Säljö 2002; Ramsten and Säljö 2012). By doing so, the researchers explored the enablers and barriers to social learning, and changes in practice at both CoP and organization level to assess whether identity influences this translation and learning process.
By exploring the modes of belonging within the various CoP, insight as to what belonging means and the sense of community and common identity within the CoP is provided (Wenger 2000; O’Donnell et al. 2003) and, in turn, how this influences the learning, translation processes and development of practice. This collective identity provides insight as it embodies the values, norms and culture which shapes the participation and practice and is important in understanding the change process. The quotes demonstrate that a range of descriptions of membership emerge from the interviews with similar patterns emerging as previously (full quotes available as supplementary data table).
The two artistically orientated department heads, Production Creative (1) and Production Creative (2,) frame belonging using language to suggest imagination as a key element of the membership of the group. Both have elements of the creation of image with Production Creative 1 framing the group as story tellers, transmitting a sense of both self and group identity whilst Production Creative (2) described the group as “transformers” looking and searching for “clever solutions.” Whereas the two scientific or technical production heads described membership to their CoP differently, Production Technical (3) describes his membership to his group in terms of similarity; same role, same way of thinking. This suggests a membership based on alignment, co-ordinating perspectives and co-ordinating ways of interpretation. Similarly, Production Technical (4) has an alignment orientation where there is change, but there is alignment collectively - “we do what we do.”
Interestingly there was one exception to this pattern. Production Technical (1) is the head of a department that plays a co-ordinating role across all production departments within Coronation Street. Their description of belonging was focussed at Coronation Street level with a mix of belonging modes in their description. The team element is stressed (engagement and collaboration) alongside strong values around collaboration and equality (image of self, orientation). There were references to objects (scripts) described as an aligning boundary object within the organization and there is also reference to a “mindset” (alignment mode). It seems where purpose is organization level boundary spanning, such as in this department, a much broader notion of belonging emerges. It is argued by Wenger (2000) that these differences in modes of belonging can influence the nature and role of spirit of inquiry, sense of community and nature of practice or repertoire within CoP which in turn influences the social learning process of CoPs.
Social learning within the CoP takes place at the interplay between social competence (being a competent member of the group) and personal experience (Wenger 2000). The quotes used focus on how practice has changed within a particular instance as a result of knowledge and experience derived from CLT leading to the exploration of activities, objects and tools to embody that knowledge (Gherardi 2009) and socialise the activities of users (Mäkitalo and Säljö 2002).
The use of objects played a dominant role in all the interviewees’ accounts of change within their CoP. Production Creative (2) talked about the creation of a storage space:
…we meticulously store all the props and dressings, we’ve recently invested in the storage facility and it enables us to reuse all of the props and dressings and they are used multiple times across multiple storylines and it’s embedded like I’ve tried to change the team’s approach and get them to go always first and foremost look at what we’ve got. Production Creative (2).
The storage space aligns to what Star and Griesemer (1989) refer to as a “repository” or an “artefact” (Wenger 2000). This became the focal point for sustainability changes within the department, a very visible tool to store props and set dressings. Practices, processes and objects have emerged within the CoP around the storage space which have socialised activities such as creativity in the reuse and upcycling of materials. This has resulted in the creation of a “craft corner,” the creation of a new object with associated practices which reinforces the spirit of inquiry through creativity and trial and error. Within the CoP, rituals and cultures of reuse have emerged and continue to grow becoming a source of innovation within the team which is spreading to bigger projects in the show.
Production Creative (1) talks about a learning by doing approach and learning from mistakes. Their main source of feedback on success is the viewer response/ratings and therefore any changes are driven by a reflection on demographical and societal changes, and hence within this CoP, inspiration is derived from society (outward looking to broader societal CoP) and self (experience):
to be perfectly honest, it’s because in my own life I would for instance, (…) it almost comes out of what you yourself are like if you are writing characters. Production Creative (1).
In this CoP, translation of CLT becomes embedded in the ultimate boundary object within Coronation Street (the script) and boundary object with societal CoP (the show). Learning takes place at these boundaries as to how CLT can be translated into the script. For example, to shape direction members from the CoP and other CoPs (executive producers, writers, casting, production) work together and have regular meetings. Knowledge and practice are shaped primarily by the interplay between CoPs in boundary spanning practice.
HoDs leading the technical departments talked about change very differently. Both highlighted difficulties in implementing change due to technologies that are used and the nature of activities within the CoP. Some change had occurred but within technical boundaries, learning and solutions were based upon technical competency and technical solutions (iPads, electronic scripts, halogen lights):
I thought about how we worked because it’s quite difficult for us to, as a camera department to have any change directly, but prior to that we used to get, you’ve heard this before, scripts and obviously they were all on paper. A wad of scripts carrying them about and it’s heavy, apart from obviously using paper, printing things I always used to say, can I have it in a PDF …. Production Technical (2).
the way we do things doesn’t really change, we do things the same way for every single bloc. (…) whereas ours it doesn’t really work that way, so it’s always interesting to see what other people do compared to what we do. Production Technical (3).
Between CoP Learning and Translation: Reinforcement, Ownership and Boundary Practice Infrastructures
Interviews have highlighted how CoP elements influence the various change process within the CoPs to embed the learning from the CLT into the CoP: the spirit of inquiry, community and practice/repertoire (Wenger 2000). To understand organizational level change, and the evolution of learning and practice within a CoP, it is important to understand how further boundary practices emerge between CoPs to reinforce and further develop learning at the organization level. This involves the development of boundary practices, boundary objects and boundary spanners. In a social learning system, this enables ways of translating repertoires and enables interaction between CoP leading to higher innovation within the system (Wenger 2000). These boundary objects can grow to become boundary infrastructures (Star 2010) which reinforce social learning and practice within organizations and embody conventions and standards (Star and Ruhleder 1996). They are also influenced by the various CoP practices (Star and Ruhleder 1996).
Within the interviews, the visibility of sustainability boundary objects emerged as something that reinforced the community, culture and norms both within the CoP and at the Coronation Street level. These boundary objects were similar in that they were highly visible and spanned the whole of Coronation Street. They were “experienced” across the organization, within shared spaces, and their presence reinforced social learning processes by either triggering engagement or acting as a symbol or ritual for sustainable practice and culture.
The first visible boundary object which was valued as a major influencer was the new building (see supplementary data table). The building was highly energy efficient and had behavioural changing aspects (lights automatically turning on and off, LED lighting). These were recognised and valued by all CoPs and triggered further innovations and changes within the various communities. It was a symbol representing clean technology and practice, and of change, leading to an increased engagement, awareness and consciousness:
Yes, and it’s the culture of the building, we know that everyone is quite aware of it and it is something we all think we should be responsible for. So we try and do our bit to keep it down. Support Services (1).
A second boundary object was the widespread introduction of iPads, eliminating the need for paper scripts and production plans. This organizational level boundary object was triggered by Production Creative (3) requesting the move to electronic plans and scripts. This quickly spread to other CoPs within Coronations Street and became an organizational level boundary object:
Yes, now, in my position I have to have a script reading day every few weeks, so that I can read my scripts for my next block and where we used to get them in paper format we’ve now started getting them as an email and PDF format so that we don’t use so much paper in the reading process. Production Technical (3)
One thing I will say we are proud of, it’s the iPads … Production Creative (3).
Each department has locally adapted the use of iPads for their own needs and practices. As a result, the organization boundary practice of sharing script and show plans has changed to mainly online distribution and, again, is seem symbolically as a move towards sustainability.
The third highly visible sustainability-related boundary object was the introduction of electric cars within the production teams. Both the cars and the charging points on site featured in many interviews and were recognised as a major carbon literacy related change:
We have a production vehicle which is a Prius which is a hybrid. I drive that quite a lot and when I think about, I have been thinking about maybe getting a new car and thinking I maybe getting an electric car. Production Creative (3).
The major change now is we are all electric. All our cars are electric. Production Technical (1).
The buyer’s vehicles are now all electric hybrid vehicles, so we’ve replaced all of our old ones with those in the last twelve months. Production Creative (2).
The electric cars had also triggered individual level engagement, conversation and evaluation, evidence of transformational learning and the “double knit process” (McDermott 1999). Several of the interviewees considered the option of purchasing an electric car for personal use (personal adoption).
A fourth highly visible sustainability-related boundary object was the “ALBERT” which is a BAFTA certification for TV production incorporating a carbon calculator. This has created a sense of pride and alignment of identities within Coronation Street towards CLT and increased the sense of belonging. It can therefore be argued that this is a visionary boundary object which evokes positive emotional responses and has high levels of legitimacy across the organization (Briers and Chua 2001). Associated boundary objects, such as ALBERT forms, are completed at the end of each shoot to collect the carbon footprint information from each production unit embedding the practice of measuring and monitoring within CoPs and reinforcing CLT learning:
…here’s an ALBERT form… in and we still do that every month. Production Technical (4).
When we go the ALBERT, the sustainable thing, I think we were very proud. I think there was a real sense of pride that, yes actually we have done a good thing. Production Creative (1).
These very visible boundary objects have developed into an infrastructure of boundary objects and associated practice at organization level which reinforces sustainability practice within CoP. Interestingly, there were similar patterns of engagement with these broader boundary objects to the CLT. The creatives tended to engage in an imagining mode (symbolism, hope, change, challenge and identity) whilst the technical CoP engaged in an alignment way (technical solutions, alignment and measurement). This highlights the consistency in patterns of engagement with boundary practices and objects by identity types.
Boundary spanners also featured strongly in the interviews as an influencing factor in the translation process. Boundary spanners are people who love connections between groups and actively cross boundaries as members of multiple groups and CoP (Akkerman and Bakker 2011a; Wenger 2000). Boundary spanners play the role of translators and import and export knowledge and practices between CoP (Waitoller and Kozleski 2013) mainly through the creation of dialogue (Akkerman et al. 2006).
Within the interviews a clear boundary spanner emerged, featuring in all interviews as an influencer/supporter/pioneer both during and after CLT. The boundary spanner collaborated in the development of the CLT curriculum and enabled “buy in” both at the management level (ITV and Coronation Street) and at CoP level (see supplementary data table). Within the interviews the boundary spanner acknowledged and reflected on their role:
...that was very much about internal brokering, relationships, working with procurement, working with CSR team, working with finance guys, working with marketing we had a logo, we’ve got the green ducks at the end. CLT Leader/Production (2).
The boundary spanner was conscious of both his identity and role as a boundary spanner. He acknowledged his part in importing and exporting knowledge as well as the boundaries of that role:
What I was clear about when I was doing these meetings was I didn’t want to be the green guy. Apart from anything else it wasn’t actually my main job CLT Leader/Production (2)
The role was not the “doer” or “executer,” they saw themself as an enabler, a motivator, as somebody who could import and translate CLT knowledge and resources into different CoPs. By combining technical and artistic aspects in their own role, they could use different translation strategies and approaches.
The boundary spanner worked with all the CoPs in Coronation Street and featured in every research interview either as a catalyst, motivator or enabler. They also took on the ‘challenge’ role, using conversation to enable problem solving, engagement and experience within the various CoPs, and translated and adapted knowledge relative to each of the CoP needs, challenges and competences.
The Storyline as the Ultimate Boundary Object in the CLT Story
Successful social learning can lead to multiple loop learning resulting in changing norms, values and a deeper learning understanding (Keen et al. 2005; McDermott 1999). Transformative learning involves the disruption of the problematization of everyday events (Wals 2010) where mental models are reorganized to process information (Argyris and Schon 1996). When such a change has taken place, it becomes deep rooted in the mindset and decision processes of individuals and CoPs.
Interviewees responded unanimously when asked about how sustainability and carbon literacy features in the activities and decision making within the CoP. According to the responses it had become deeply rooted, or “second nature,” within the decision making and problem-solving processes (see supplementary data table). This was irrespective of identity and orientation, regardless of differences in modes of belonging and processes. CLT had become second nature:
I think it is now just embedded. Production Technical (1)
I think a gradual, cultural change, yes, I do. Production Creative (2)
I think we are all aware that’s the norm…… it’s something we naturally do as we are going along. Support Services (1)
This has been aided by the clear common focus across the Coronation Street: the continuing storyline is the ultimate purpose. It aligns all CoP processes and practices across the organization acting as the ultimate boundary spanning object. The story acts simultaneously as an artefact (tools, documents and models), a discourse (common language and negotiation) and routines and procedures which coordinates multiple boundary practices.
CoPs participate, learn from and contribute to formal boundary practices associated with the development of the storyline (script meetings, storyline conference, production meetings) alongside many informal boundary practices which have emerged between production, producers, editorial and design. A boundary object closely aligned with the storyline is the script which acts as a plan for the various CoP, and CoPs are enabled to feed into storylines:
…like to work with [name] who is a producer and the writers on this, so we’ve done tours and I’ve talked through ideas with them and kind of got their input and made sure, I don’t want to do things which they are not going to use onscreen. Production Creative (2)
I think (the decision on storyline ideas) that would come down to the producer. (…) but the great thing as we are at the moment and [person] our producer at the moment is a good idea can come from anywhere. And we, anybody on the show, if they have a good idea she would consider it, which is great. Production Creative (1)
The production of the show (creating the storyline, writing the storyline, production) creates a space for dialogue, negotiation and problem solving. This space at organizational level enables the exploration of new ideas, reflection on current practice and the development of new patterns of thinking and acting (O’Donnell et al. 2003). The resulting script acts as guidance to the CoPs but creative space is given as to how this knowledge is translated, adapted and modified within the CoP. This creates the essential balance between organizational support and space (Wenger 1998) and enables the creation of tacit knowledge but also develops sensory and aesthetic pathways for creativity (Gherardi 2009).
CLT initially was focussed on the greening of the production side of Coronation Street, the “behind the scenes” internally focussed practices. However, the CLT training also triggered reflection on how sustainability featured in the “public face” of Coronation Street, i.e. the show:
So the reason I think Corrie is really, really special for this work because we realise and this was in the slide deck that we can influence the way we make the show and try and reduce the carbon impact of production process in getting the show to air. But it would have been remiss of us and a shame if we hadn’t realised the fact it has an audience of 7.9 million people. CLT Leader/Production (2)
Coronation Street, and in particular the CLT participants, realised that by embedding sustainability within the show they could create a wider social learning process with their viewing community. The show is the ultimate Coronation Street boundary object with the viewing public. However, embedding sustainability into the show is not without challenges and is a social learning process in itself through engagement and trial and error:
…it’s a very, very fine line, it really is a fine line with it, you are talking here on our show and I think it’s true on all the soaps as well, the audience are very resistant to change. If we bring a new character in it takes about a year to bed them in, if we bring a new family in it takes at least two years. CLT Leader/Production (2).
…I think we do have to be careful (…) it is this thing about leading people not pushing them into it. We did many, many years ago did do a story which was specifically recycling with a thing like that and interestingly it didn’t go down very well with the audience. Production Creative (1).
This cautiousness arises from the relationship between the viewing community and the boundary object (the show). The show needs to deliver on entertainment factors to keep viewers engaged:
…they invite us into their homes and so they don’t expect us to tell them what to do. Now if we are showing that these characters do this and they don’t mind that, but the minute we try telling people what to do you get that resistance. Production Creative (1).
...at the end of the day we are a drama not a documentary…Because it’s a very, very fine line, it really is a fine line with it, you are talking here on our show and I think it’s true on all the others. Production Creative (1).
A trial and error approach led to learning within Coronation Street in terms of how sustainability content is experienced and engaged with by audience members. This has resulted in a number of subtle innovations to embed sustainability into the program. This need for subtlety became a creative challenge for some groups within the program:
I think we did do something when we brought the charging in for the bags, when that fee the 5p fee, we did a little thing, not a massive story but we did something on screen to bolster the message that the law had come in. So we would do things like that. Production Creative (1).
Through the analysis and exploration of the case study’s two overarching research questions, patterns emerged in both the impact of the CLT on individual and CLT group and in the translation process into CoP knowledge and practice. These patterns are further explored in a conceptualization of findings.