Qualitative Study Of Romanian Managers’ Identity

Öz

The article presents the process of grounding a theory about Romanian managers’ identity. It shows the manner in which the stages of data collection, data analysis and sampling have been conceived and implemented. It also describes in detail the decisions taken in each of these stages (the choice of methods and techniques, their combining and so on), the procedures followed and the difficulties encountered. The research was done in 2008 having as subjects 20 Romanian managers; it aimed at identifying identity aspects which are typical to managers. The article is based on the idea that describing the way in which the findings were reached is as important as expressing the conclusions themselves. It shows that qualitative research is suitable in understanding managerial aspects.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• qualitative research, grounded theory, methodological reflexivity, self-identity, managers.

Kaynakça

1. 1. Bar-On, D. (2006): Tell Your Life Story: Creating Dialogue among Jews and Germans, Israelis and Pelestinians. Budapest: CEU Press.
2. 2. Bartlett, D. and Payne, S. (1997): Grounded Theory – Its Basis, Rationale and Procedures in McKenzie, G., Powell, J. and Usher, R. (eds.): Understanding Social Research. Perspectives on Methodology and Practice. London: Falmer Press, 173-195.
3. 3. Bass, B. (1990): Bass & Stogdill’s Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Applications. New York: The Free Press.
4. 4. Bertaux, D. (1981): From the Life-History Approach to the Transformation of Sociological Practice, in Bertaux, D. (ed.): Biography and Society. The Life History Approach in the Social Sciences. London: Sage Publications, 29-45.
5. 5. Boyatzis, R. (1998): Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
6. 6. Courpasson, D. and Dany, F. (2009): Cultures of Resistance in the Workplace, in Clegg, S. and Haugaard, M. (eds.): The Sage Handbook of Power. London: Sage Publication.
7. 7. Crocker, J. and Bylsma, W. (1996): Self-esteem, in Manstead, A. and Hewstone, M. (eds.): The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Psychology, Blackwell Reference Online: http://www.blackwellreference.com/subscriber/tocnode?id=g9780631202899_chunk_g978063120289921_ss1-10.
8. 8. Denzin, N.K. (2001): Interpretive Interactionism. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

9. 9. Dey, I. (1993): Qualitative Data Analysis: A User-Friendly Guide for Social Scientists. London: Routledge.
10. 10. Down, S. (2006): Narratives of Enterprise: Crafting Entrepreneurial Self-Identity in a small firm. Cheltenham: Edward Edgar Publishing.
11. 11. Flick, U. (1998): An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications.
12. 12. Ford, J. (2010): Studying Leadership Critically: A Psychosocial Lens on Leadership Identities in Leadership, 6, 1, 47–65
13. 13. French, R. and Simpson, P. (2006): Downplaying Leadership: Researching How Leaders Talk About Themselves in: Leadership, 2, 4, 469-479.
14. 14. Gadrey, N. (1998): Identităţi in Ferreol, G (coord.): Dicţionar de Sociologie. Iaşi: Polirom.
15. 15. Gibbs, G. (2002): Qualitative Data Analysis: Explorations with NVivo. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
16. 16. Graafland, J., Kaptein, M. and Mazereeuw - van der Duijn Schouten, C. (2007): Conceptions of God, Normative Convictions, and Socially Responsible Business Conduct: An Explorative Study among Executives in: Business & Society, 46, 3, 331-368.
17. 17. Huberman, M.A., and Miles, M.B. (1998). Data Management and Analysis Methods in Denzin N.K. and Lincoln Y.S. (eds.): Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials. London: Sage Publications, 179-210.
18. 18. Luhrmann, T. and Eberl, P. (2007): Leadership and Identity Construction: Reframing the Leader – Follower Interaction from an Identity Theory Perspective in: Leadership, 3, 1, 115-127.
19. 19. Miller, R. (2000): Researching Life Stories and Family Histories. London: Sage Publications.
20. 20. Neuman, L.W. (1997): Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
21. 21. Patton, M.Q. (2002): Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publication.
22. 22. Pavlica, K. and Thorpe, R. (1998): Managers' Perceptions of their Identity: A Comparative Study between the Czech Republic and Britain in: British Journal of Management, 9,2, 133–149.
23. 23. Rosenthal, G. (2004): Biographical Research in Seale, C., Gobo, G., Gubrium, J. and Silverman D. Qualitative Research Practice. London: Sage Publications, 48-65.
24. 24. Scârneci, F. (2011a): Studiu calitativ asupra condiţiei identitare a managerului din România in Revista Română de Sociologie, XXII, 1-2, 123-152.
25. 25. Scârneci, F. (2011b): A Qualitative Research Regarding Identity Aspects of Romanian Managers in Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iaşi, Secţiunea Sociologie și Asistenţă Socială, IV, 1, 173-189.
26. 26. Schwandt, T. (2007): The SAGE Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
27. 27. Širec, K. and Močnik, D. (2012): Gender specifics in entrepreneurs’ personal characteristics in: Journal for East European Management Studies, 17, 1, 11-39.
28. 28. Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1990): Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage Publications.
29. 29. Thomas, R. and Linstead, A. (2002): Losing the Plot? Middle Managers and Identity in: Organization, 9, 1, 71-93.
30. 30. Wajcman, J. and Martin, B. (2002): Narratives of Identity in Modern Management: The Corrosion of Gender Difference in: Sociology, 36, 4, 985-1002.
31. 31. Watson, T. (2008): Managing Identity: Identity Work, Personal Predicaments and Structural Circumstances in Organization, 15, 1, 121–143.
32. 32. Watson, T. (2009): Narrative, life story and manager identity: A case study in autobiographical identity work in Human Relations, 62, 3, 425–452.
33. 33. Zeleznik, A. (1998): Managers and Leaders: Are They Different? in: Harvard Business Review on Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 61-88.