Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to research on organizational identity by developing a psychoanalytic perspective. In particular, the author draws on Lacanian theorizing to explore how organizational identity discourse is informed by imaginary constructions of subjectivity. It is proposed that the collective construction of coherent, unitary, and definably organizational identity discourse is validated by and validates conscious but illusory constructions of the self. The resulting discourse is inevitably disrupted by unconscious subjectivity and invariably fails. Therefore, the collective construction of fragmented, dynamic, and emergent organizational identity discourse is equally inevitable. While such discourse can be illusory, it also contains the opportunity for engaging in liberating struggles with identity as lack. The implications of this perspective for the theory and practice of organizational identity are discussed.
Highlights
Organizational identity has long been recognized as a significant concept in organizational studies (Brown, 2001) that has recently received increased attention (Haslam, Postmes and Ellemers, 2003) as a root construct of growing importance (Albert, Ashforth and Dutton, 2000)
The paper suggests that current debates on organizational identity in the field reflect less the efficacy of certain approaches to or assumptions about organizational identity over others (Hatch and Yanow, 2007) but rather an underlying dynamic of identity that may not be captured in such approaches
Prior research on organizational identity has advanced the notion that cognitive conceptions of identity, or how we consciously think about and articulate identity, are not sufficient to address less conscious identity processes and that a psychoanalytic understanding should be added (Brown, 1997; Brown and Starkey, 2000a;b; Diamond, 1993; Schwartz, 1990)
Summary
Organizational identity has long been recognized as a significant concept in organizational studies (Brown, 2001) that has recently received increased attention (Haslam, Postmes and Ellemers, 2003) as a root construct of growing importance (Albert, Ashforth and Dutton, 2000).
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