Occupational Identity and Competing Narratives On Disruptive Organizational Events

The focus of this study is upon negotiated and political nature of the identification process which creates constant tension between individuals’ occupational identity and organizational identity, particularly when the latter contradict the long-held ethics or values of the former. By taking a narrative approach, we explore how members develop their own occupational identity in reference to work experience and organizational identity and, in turn how the interplay between occupational and organizational identity shape their sensemaking of disruptive organizational events. Through in-depth examination of a single organization with a strong organizational culture which emphasizes members’ identification with the organization, we show that three types of occupational identities emerge from interviews reflecting different relationships with organizational identity – cynicism, marginalization, and accommodation. Subsequently, we examine how organizational members exploit corporate scandals corporate scandals in a way to keep their identity narrative cohesive and consistent. These findings provide insight into the dynamic relationship among occupational and organizational identity in the context of disruptive organizational events.