
Mats Alvesson
Professor

Money Matters: Teflonic Identity Manoeuvring in the Investment Banking Sector
Author
Summary, in English
In this paper we address identity issues in relation to senior employees in the UK investment banking sector. Drawing on in-depth material, the study demonstrates their marginal concerns about identity issues or engagement in what is typically viewed as identity work. Instead they had what we refer to as an identity minimalism orientation and met potential challenges to identity with what we conceptualize as teflonic identity manoeuvring. In so doing they were able to deflect attention away from themselves, enabling them to circumvent identity concerns. These employees drew upon material resources, specifically money, to rationalize this disposition and social (in particular, dress codes) and discursive resources (around professionalism) to bolster and sustain this disposition.
Department/s
- Department of Business Administration
Publishing year
2016
Language
English
Pages
7-34
Publication/Series
Organization Studies
Volume
37
Issue
1
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Topic
- Economics
Keywords
- banking
- identity
- identity minimalism
- identity work
- teflonic identity
- manoeuvring
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1741-3044