Organizational Psychology: When, Why, and How Is Identity Work (Less) Important in Organizational Life?
(2021) In Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology p.586-603- Abstract
- This chapter examines if identity is as important as is often claimed, and as a consequence, when and why concerns of identity are triggered in working life, and we do so through a constructionist identity perspective. In the chapter, we argue that many people do not necessarily engage with their identities most of the time and explore why they do in certain kinds of jobs and in particular situations while in others identity is neither present nor salient, at least not as a major issue. The chapter aims to cut down the identity concept in size and suggests that a more focused view on identity may help us come to better grips with what on one level is of great societal concern: identity-related struggle, tension, and confusion in people’s... (More)
- This chapter examines if identity is as important as is often claimed, and as a consequence, when and why concerns of identity are triggered in working life, and we do so through a constructionist identity perspective. In the chapter, we argue that many people do not necessarily engage with their identities most of the time and explore why they do in certain kinds of jobs and in particular situations while in others identity is neither present nor salient, at least not as a major issue. The chapter aims to cut down the identity concept in size and suggests that a more focused view on identity may help us come to better grips with what on one level is of great societal concern: identity-related struggle, tension, and confusion in people’s working lives; without adding too much to another concern: a (re)production of unwanted narcissism in our already narcissistic time of age. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Identity is often viewed as one of the most important concepts to help understand life in contemporary organizations among organizational scholars. For example, studies of identity among organizational members in roles such as e.g. manager, professional, consultant, and priest have provided valuable insights around managerial and professional work, motivation, change, leadership, control, and gender. While drawing on many of these studies, this chapter offers a somewhat contrasting view. We examine if identity is as important as is often claimed, and as a consequence, when and why concerns of identity are triggered in working life, and we do so through a constructionist identity perspective. In the chapter, we argue that many people do not... (More)
- Identity is often viewed as one of the most important concepts to help understand life in contemporary organizations among organizational scholars. For example, studies of identity among organizational members in roles such as e.g. manager, professional, consultant, and priest have provided valuable insights around managerial and professional work, motivation, change, leadership, control, and gender. While drawing on many of these studies, this chapter offers a somewhat contrasting view. We examine if identity is as important as is often claimed, and as a consequence, when and why concerns of identity are triggered in working life, and we do so through a constructionist identity perspective. In the chapter, we argue that many people do not necessarily engage with their identities most of the time and explore why they do in certain kinds of jobs and in particular situations while in others identity is neither present nor salient, at least not as a major issue. The chapter aims to cut down the identity concept in size and suggests that a more focused view on identity may help us come to better grips with what on one level is of great societal concern: identity-related struggle, tension, and confusion in people’s working lives; without adding too much to another concern: a (re)production of unwanted narcissism in our already narcissistic time of age. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2a70405e-1027-4d07-8848-4e15fa5b913d
- author
- Sveningsson, Stefan LU ; Gjerde, Susann LU and Alvesson, Mats LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-10-21
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Identity work, organizational psychology, working life, constructionist approach, identity
- host publication
- The Cambridge Handbook of Identity
- series title
- Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology
- editor
- Bamberg, Michael ; Demuth, Carolin and Watzlawik, Meike
- edition
- 2
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- ISBN
- 9781108755146
- DOI
- 10.1017/9781108755146
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2a70405e-1027-4d07-8848-4e15fa5b913d
- date added to LUP
- 2021-11-08 16:36:13
- date last changed
- 2021-11-25 14:41:27
@inbook{2a70405e-1027-4d07-8848-4e15fa5b913d,
abstract = {{This chapter examines if identity is as important as is often claimed, and as a consequence, when and why concerns of identity are triggered in working life, and we do so through a constructionist identity perspective. In the chapter, we argue that many people do not necessarily engage with their identities most of the time and explore why they do in certain kinds of jobs and in particular situations while in others identity is neither present nor salient, at least not as a major issue. The chapter aims to cut down the identity concept in size and suggests that a more focused view on identity may help us come to better grips with what on one level is of great societal concern: identity-related struggle, tension, and confusion in people’s working lives; without adding too much to another concern: a (re)production of unwanted narcissism in our already narcissistic time of age.}},
author = {{Sveningsson, Stefan and Gjerde, Susann and Alvesson, Mats}},
booktitle = {{The Cambridge Handbook of Identity}},
editor = {{Bamberg, Michael and Demuth, Carolin and Watzlawik, Meike}},
isbn = {{9781108755146}},
keywords = {{Identity work; organizational psychology; working life; constructionist approach; identity}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
pages = {{586--603}},
publisher = {{Cambridge University Press}},
series = {{Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology}},
title = {{Organizational Psychology: When, Why, and How Is Identity Work (Less) Important in Organizational Life?}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108755146}},
doi = {{10.1017/9781108755146}},
year = {{2021}},
}