LONGING TO BELONG: IDENTITY AND ORGANIZATION THEORY

Abstract

This dissertation consists of the first three papers in a stream of organization theory research inspired by the insight that humans are as motivated by identity self interest - or the "longing to belong" - as by instrumental self interest. The first paper (chapter 2) spells out this insight and its implications for the governance of knowledge intensive organizations; the second paper (chapter 3) offers an empirical test of the fundamental assumption that a continuum of motivation influences governance arrangements; and the third paper (chapter 4) uses a historical case study to refine process theories of organization by emphasizing the struggle for dominance between identity groups and their logics.