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Polyphony and the sense of self in flexible organizations

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  • Belova, Olga

Abstract

Summary Growing research suggests that work identity should be understood as multiple dynamic. This paper seeks to add nuance to this discussion by introducing the notion of polyphony to the analysis of identity ([Evans, 2004], [Rowan and Cooper, 1999] and [Sidorkin, 1999]). Firstly, drawing on the work of (Bakhtin, 1984) and (Bakhtin, 1986), it argues that understanding self as polyphonic helps account for its complexity, multiplicity and ambivalence. Secondly, it explores polyphonic identity as an experience and as a demand placed by modern organizations: Kondo's ethnography, it is argued, provides rich personal narratives wrought with ironies and contradictions, while Boltanski and Chiapello's work (2005) can be read as an examination of how modern organizations place complex and ambivalent demands on individual identities.

Suggested Citation

  • Belova, Olga, 2010. "Polyphony and the sense of self in flexible organizations," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 67-76, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:scaman:v:26:y:2010:i:1:p:67-76
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    Cited by:

    1. Van Laer, Koen & Janssens, Maddy, 2014. "Between the devil and the deep blue sea: Exploring the hybrid identity narratives of ethnic minority professionals," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 186-196.
    2. Mallett, Oliver & Wapshott, Robert, 2012. "Mediating ambiguity: Narrative identity and knowledge workers," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 16-26.
    3. Hannah Trittin & Dennis Schoeneborn, 2017. "Diversity as Polyphony: Reconceptualizing Diversity Management from a Communication-Centered Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 305-322, August.

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