Understanding Identity and Organizations
- Kate Kenny - Queens University, Belfast, UK
- Andrea Whittle - Newcastle University, UK
- Hugh Willmott - Cardiff Business School, UK
An understanding of identity is fundamental to a complete understanding of organizational life. While conventional management textbooks touch on in-groups, cohesion and discrimination, Understanding Identity and Organizations offers instead a deeper, more nuanced understanding of why people, groups and organizations behave the way they do. With conceptions of identity perhaps less stable than they have ever been, Willmott, Whittle and Kenny make complex theoretical issues accessible to the reader through the use of lively examples from popular culture. The authors present an overview of the key issues, as well as an examination of cutting-edge research and topical forces currently redefining identity, such as globalization, the fair trade movement and online identities.
This text is a succinct, relevant and exciting overview of the field of identity studies as it relates to business and management and applied social sciences, and is an invaluable resource to undergraduate and postgraduate students of management on any course that has an identity component.
'As it elicited many thought provoking moments, before I was halfway through this book I had recommened it to a Masters degree student writing their dissertation (they reported it was fascinating) and used a variety of concepts in sessions (e.g organisational culture / leadership) facilitated in my role as a Staff Development Adviser...I would have no hesitation in endorsing this lively yet solid text to FE and HE students'
John Trantom
Action Learning: Research & Practice
'Identity is an extremely popular, but frequently misunderstood and misrepresented, concept in organization studies. This fantastic book is a much needed and timely antidote to this problem. It provides a thoughtful, accessible and thorough treatment of the phenomenon. It is an absolute "must read" for anyone who professes to be interested in studying or researching identity and organization's
Professor Cliff Oswick
Professor in Organization Theory, Head of the Faculty of Management, Cass Business School, City University
'Organizations are not just places we go to make money, but places where we make ourselves too. This helpful book explores the ways in which identities are worked upon, and show how many of our ideas about "who we are" emerge from our lives at work'
Professor Martin Parker
Warwick Business School
'I am impressed by this accessible and thoroughly scholarly text. It introduces students to highly complex theoretical ideas in a way that is immediately relevant to everyday organizational life. I look forward to teaching with this book'
Professor Samantha Warren
University of Essex
'Understanding Identity and Organizations maps the territory laid out by identity research as it applies to organizations and points to new areas of interest and concern. An essential guide for those entering the field of organizational identity studies as well as providing an overview of the field for seasoned identity researchers'
Mary Jo Hatch
Professor Emerita of Banking and Commerce, University of Virginia
'Understanding Identity and Organization gives us for the first time a complete and sophisticated overview of the key topics and debates around identity at work. In a lively, accessible and always scholarly fashion, the authors have captured the fundamental importance of this often neglected aspect of employment. It is essential reading for anyone studying organizations today'
Professor Peter Fleming
Queen Mary College, University of London
This is an essential book for making sense of the theme of identity in organizations, the key issues, dimensions and approaches, as well as how to do research on it. It is essencial for a global overview at undergraduate level, and for more detailed explorations at masters level.
Nice and well-written text. Not 100% relevant to my module.
Is is too much detailed on specify subjects for our aims.
It is very well written and rich in its perspectives.
Will be adopted as supplemental reading for the new second year marketing course being launched next year
A brilliant book that focuses on issues relating to identity within an organisational context. Well written and extremely informative!
A brilliant book that focuses on issues relating to identity. Well written and extremely informative!
Excellent and thorough analysis of key aspects of identity theory in general and perspective on identity in particular.
This is a fantastic book, offering a comprehensive overview of identity and organizations. A pleasure to read, with effective signposting to other sources. The book covers the key thinkers, issues and concepts and, unlike some texts, it looks to the future directions of this field.
This is a very strong book to support the significant topic of identity in the wider subject of organisaitonal behaviour. Very useful for assigned essay work and student research in this area.
