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Unmasking Identities in a Professional Service Firm

Miras Olsson, Elsa LU and Muscalu, Corina LU (2019) BUSN49 20191
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
Purpose
We aim to investigate how professionals make sense of the culture in the context of PSFs and how they engage in organizational and professional identification.
Methodology
The researchers look into the sensemaking processes professionals attach to organizational culture from a symbolic interactionism tradition, while from a critical perspective challenging the mainstream assumptions about culture and identity by recognizing the influence of power and control in organizational contexts. We performed 12 interviews with professionals in a characteristic PSF, participated in an observation event and analyzed internal documents.
Findings
Our findings propose that professional identity has a strong influence in the context of PSFs,... (More)
Purpose
We aim to investigate how professionals make sense of the culture in the context of PSFs and how they engage in organizational and professional identification.
Methodology
The researchers look into the sensemaking processes professionals attach to organizational culture from a symbolic interactionism tradition, while from a critical perspective challenging the mainstream assumptions about culture and identity by recognizing the influence of power and control in organizational contexts. We performed 12 interviews with professionals in a characteristic PSF, participated in an observation event and analyzed internal documents.
Findings
Our findings propose that professional identity has a strong influence in the context of PSFs, to the extent that we argue culture is a by-product of the profession. Thus, professionals claim identification with the organization, however it is salient they more strongly identify with the profession. This is further supported by the fact that that when certain culture elements do not fit the profession, PSFs fail to deliver on those values.
Contributions
The thesis contributes to the theory of professional service firm management. From this qualitative study, we suggest that when professional identity is so heavily embedded in the organizational culture, this may lead to a deceitful practice of increasing professionals’ organizational identification. (Less)
Popular Abstract
Purpose
We aim to investigate how professionals make sense of the culture in the context of PSFs and how they engage in organizational and professional identification.
Methodology
The researchers look into the sensemaking processes professionals attach to organizational culture from a symbolic interactionism tradition, while from a critical perspective challenging the mainstream assumptions about culture and identity by recognizing the influence of power and control in organizational contexts. We performed 12 interviews with professionals in a characteristic PSF, participated in an observation event and analyzed internal documents.
Findings
Our findings propose that professional identity has a strong influence in the context of PSFs,... (More)
Purpose
We aim to investigate how professionals make sense of the culture in the context of PSFs and how they engage in organizational and professional identification.
Methodology
The researchers look into the sensemaking processes professionals attach to organizational culture from a symbolic interactionism tradition, while from a critical perspective challenging the mainstream assumptions about culture and identity by recognizing the influence of power and control in organizational contexts. We performed 12 interviews with professionals in a characteristic PSF, participated in an observation event and analyzed internal documents.
Findings
Our findings propose that professional identity has a strong influence in the context of PSFs, to the extent that we argue culture is a by-product of the profession. Thus, professionals claim identification with the organization, however it is salient they more strongly identify with the profession. This is further supported by the fact that that when certain culture elements do not fit the profession, PSFs fail to deliver on those values.
Contributions
The thesis contributes to the theory of professional service firm management. From this qualitative study, we suggest that when professional identity is so heavily embedded in the organizational culture, this may lead to a deceitful practice of increasing professionals’ organizational identification. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Miras Olsson, Elsa LU and Muscalu, Corina LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
A study about professionals’ organizational and professional identification in relation to the organizational culture
course
BUSN49 20191
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
organizational culture, sensemaking, organizational identity, organizational identification, professional identity, professional identification, professional service firms (PSFs), professional workers/professionals
language
English
id
8989448
date added to LUP
2019-07-04 16:34:18
date last changed
2019-07-04 16:34:18
@misc{8989448,
  abstract     = {{Purpose
We aim to investigate how professionals make sense of the culture in the context of PSFs and how they engage in organizational and professional identification.
Methodology
The researchers look into the sensemaking processes professionals attach to organizational culture from a symbolic interactionism tradition, while from a critical perspective challenging the mainstream assumptions about culture and identity by recognizing the influence of power and control in organizational contexts. We performed 12 interviews with professionals in a characteristic PSF, participated in an observation event and analyzed internal documents.
Findings
Our findings propose that professional identity has a strong influence in the context of PSFs, to the extent that we argue culture is a by-product of the profession. Thus, professionals claim identification with the organization, however it is salient they more strongly identify with the profession. This is further supported by the fact that that when certain culture elements do not fit the profession, PSFs fail to deliver on those values.
Contributions
The thesis contributes to the theory of professional service firm management. From this qualitative study, we suggest that when professional identity is so heavily embedded in the organizational culture, this may lead to a deceitful practice of increasing professionals’ organizational identification.}},
  author       = {{Miras Olsson, Elsa and Muscalu, Corina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Unmasking Identities in a Professional Service Firm}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}