IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ehl/lserod/121149.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Embracing relational vulnerabilities at the top: a study of managerial identity work amidst the insecurities of the self

Author

Listed:
  • Satama, Suvi
  • Seeck, Hannele
  • Garcia-Lorenzo, Lucia

Abstract

This study aims to revitalise the concept of relational vulnerability in advancing the theory of managerial identity work. Drawing on 35 semi-structured interviews and 12 podcast interviews with top managers in Finland, we identify two entwined themes through which top managers practise identity work by negotiating their vulnerabilities in the workplace. Our study illustrates the embodied subtlety of relational vulnerabilities in top managers’ identity negotiations by showing they can function as a tool for the managers’ professional development. Our study contributes to the broader discussion on a more humane working life by investigating the ways in which top managers can foster workplaces in which vulnerabilities are used as a starting point for improvement rather than as a tool for disparaging the self and the others. This is an aspect of managerial identity work that deserves to be more profoundly considered in both academic debate and managerial practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Satama, Suvi & Seeck, Hannele & Garcia-Lorenzo, Lucia, 2023. "Embracing relational vulnerabilities at the top: a study of managerial identity work amidst the insecurities of the self," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121149, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:121149
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/121149/
    File Function: Open access version.
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    embodiment; humane working life; Managerial identity work; managerial vulnerability; relational vulnerability; top managers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:121149. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: LSERO Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.