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Living with contradictions: the dynamics of senior managers in relation to sustainability

Allen, Stephen; Marshall, Judi; Easterby-Smith, Mark

Authors

Stephen Allen

Judi Marshall

Mark Easterby-Smith



Abstract

In this article, we investigate how senior managers located in Northern Europe in the energy and power industry coordinate their recognition of sustainability challenges with other things they say and do. Identity theory is used to examine the fine-grained work through which the managers navigate identities and potentially competing narratives. In contrast with other studies we find that pursuing cohering identities and resolving potential tensions and contradictions does not appear to matter for most of the managers. We explore the dynamics of how managers live with apparent contradictions and tensions without threat to their narrative coherence. We extend existing research into managerial identities and sustainability by: showing how managers combine different potentially contrasting identity types; identifying nine discursive processes through which the majority of managers distance and deflect sustainability issues away from themselves and their companies; and, showing the contrasting identity dynamics in the case of one manager to whom narrative coherence becomes important and prompts alternative action.

Citation

Allen, S., Marshall, J., & Easterby-Smith, M. (2015). Living with contradictions: the dynamics of senior managers in relation to sustainability. Organization & environment, 28(3), 328-348. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026615575048

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Apr 15, 2015
Publication Date Sep 1, 2015
Deposit Date Apr 14, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Organization & environment
Print ISSN 1086-0266
Electronic ISSN 1552-7417
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue 3
Pages 328-348
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026615575048
Keywords Organisational behaviour, Sustainability challenges, Senior managers, Identity dynamics
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/372386
Publisher URL http://oae.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/03/31/1086026615575048.abstract
Additional Information Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Organization & environment, 2015, v.8, issue 3

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