The Meaning of Work Across Levels of Analysis: Tensions, Dynamics, and Future Directions

Abstract

Research on the meaning of work continues to grow within management research. Through foundational work on sensemaking (Weick 1995), work orientations (Pratt et al. 2013; Wrzesniewski et al. 1997), and calling (Bunderson & Thompson 2009), scholars have gained a basic understanding of the psychological factors that shape the meaning of one's work. Recently, however, scholars have acknowledged that “the organizational literature on the meaning of work has largely ignored social, other-oriented, and community-based perspectives on the nature of work in favor of individual perspectives” (Rosso et al. 2010: 119). Research—particularly empirical work—on the meaning of work across levels remains small, with several important questions still remaining: how do larger organizational or societal forces (e.g. culture, values, discourse) shape the meaning of work for individuals or groups? How do individuals make sense of conflicting messages regarding the meaning of their work? More broadly, what role do others’ perceptions play in the process of constructing meaningfulness? This session brings together a range of scholars who explore these questions. What We Do is Meaningful: Constructing a Shared Sense of Meaningful Work Presenter: Douglas Lepisto; Western Michigan U. Being a Pro in the NFL: When Sportsmanship and Business Collide Presenter: Lyndon Earl Garrett; Boston College Presenter: Greg Fetzer; Boston College Presenter: Jacob Brown; Boston College Examining the Economic Tether and the Meaning of Work: The Case of the FIRE Movement Presenter: Laura Sonday; U. of Michigan Moral Immortalizations: Meaningful Work in the Hindsight of Others Presenter: Christopher Michaelson; U. of St. Thomas Presenter: Jennifer Tosti-Kharas; Babson College