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Mediating ambiguity: Narrative identity and knowledge workers

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  • Mallett, Oliver
  • Wapshott, Robert

Abstract

Drawing on Paul Ricoeur's approach to narrative identity and a longitudinal case study of a graphic design firm, this paper explores identity work provoked by organisational changes for one group of knowledge workers, graphic designers. The approach to identity work developed in this paper illuminates how these knowledge workers use narrative to mediate between social and personal identities during a period of significant organisational change. The narrative identity approach, derived from Ricoeur, embraces the multiplicity, complexity and potential contradictions encountered by knowledge workers facing threats to their personal identity. In addition to developing Ricoeur's thinking to understand identity work in an organisational context, the impact of organisational change for knowledge workers is highlighted for practitioners.

Suggested Citation

  • Mallett, Oliver & Wapshott, Robert, 2012. "Mediating ambiguity: Narrative identity and knowledge workers," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 16-26.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:scaman:v:28:y:2012:i:1:p:16-26
    DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2011.12.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Marie LEMAIRE, 2018. ""It's a Bible!" Unexpected use, misuse and non-use of CSR standards among "activist" workers," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2018-08, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    3. 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.
    4. Ybema, Sierk & Vroemisse, Marlous & van Marrewijk, Alfons, 2012. "Constructing identity by deconstructing differences: Building partnerships across cultural and hierarchical divides," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 48-59.
    5. Kourti, Isidora, 2017. "Why should we collaborate? Exploring partners’ interactions in the psychosocial spaces of an inter-organisational collaboration," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 93-101.
    6. Hoyer, Patrizia, 2016. "Making space for ambiguity: Rethinking organizational identification from a career perspective," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 166-177.
    7. Beech, Nic & Gilmore, Charlotte & Cochrane, Eilidh & Greig, Gail, 2012. "Identity work as a response to tensions: A re-narration in opera rehearsals," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 39-47.
    8. Sébastien Mainhagu & Renaud Defiebre-Muller, 2018. "Entanglement between self-doubt and self-certainty in identity dynamics: From the mundane to the surprising," Post-Print hal-01868878, HAL.
    9. Appleby, Kaitlin & Bullinger, Bernadette & Schneider, Anna, 2018. "STEM selves: Women’s identity projects and their assessment of future employers in technical fields," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 311-325.
    10. Ming Guan, 2021. "Associations Between Perceptions of the Work Environment and Job Burnout Based on MIMIC Models Among 679 Knowledge Workers," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440219, March.
    11. Sébastien Mainhagu & Renaud Defiebre-Muller & François Grima, 2016. "Immobility in appearance only: Ricoeur and identity dynamics in workplace experiences," Post-Print hal-01486170, HAL.
    12. McInnes, Peter & Corlett, Sandra, 2012. "Conversational identity work in everyday interaction," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 27-38.
    13. Ainsworth, Susan & Grant, David, 2012. "Revitalizing scholarship in identity studies," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 60-62.
    14. Ericson, Mona & Kjellander, Björn, 2018. "The temporal becoming self—towards a Ricoeurian conceptualization of identity," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 205-214.

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