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Identity in Flexible Organizations: Experiences in Dutch Organizations
Author(s) -
Schoemaker Michiel
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
creativity and innovation management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.148
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1467-8691
pISSN - 0963-1690
DOI - 10.1111/j.0963-1690.2003.00282.x
Subject(s) - flexibility (engineering) , identity (music) , work (physics) , public relations , organizational identity , business , key (lock) , knowledge management , identity management , sociology , marketing , management , political science , economics , organizational commitment , computer science , law , engineering , acoustics , authentication (law) , mechanical engineering , physics , computer security
In the information economy, flexible organizations have evolved. Work and labour relations have become more flexible than in industrial organizations. This has consequences for the identity of organizations. Organizations tend to become opportunity coalitions when the identity is too fragmented or neglected. The key questions this article adresses is what is identity in a flexible organization and to what extent is it possible to ‘manage’ the construction of identity in flexible organizations? This key question was split up into three sub‐questions. We were interested in how (1) organizations organize their talent management, (2) how organizations manage their labour relations and (3) how organizations manage identity. These three subjects come forward in recent publications in the field of organizational development and HRM as being critical of management of a flexible and innovative organization. In the article, the characteristics of flexible organizations are defined. These characteristics are translated into the relationship between these organization and individual: the way flexible organizations manage their work, labour relations and identity is studied in 20 Dutch organizations. Striving for an optimum in flexible work and flexible labour relations, combined with managing a specific organizational identity seems to be the HR‐strategy Dutch organizations implement to reach flexibility and innovation.