My Network, My Self: A Social Network Approach to Work-Based Identity

Abstract

As the organizational landscape becomes increasingly turbulent and the gig economy grows, the conventional anchors for a work-based sense of identity – a stable organization, workgroup, and/or occupation – are losing relevance. We argue that a “network identity,” defined as the sense of oneself as a member of a network (e.g., “we are high-achievers”), helps fill this growing void because networks tend to be egocentric (i.e., agentic) with more or less fluid boundaries and portability. These attributes enable individuals to develop or join networks that may transcend specific contexts and adapt to change. Networks simultaneously implicate all three levels of self – personal, relational, and collective – such that they are potentially very powerful means for realizing common identity motives. Crossing the dimensions of network boundary strength and network density, we offer a typology of networks and discuss their implications for network identities and what kinds of individuals might prefer each network.