ARCOM

Search or browse again.

Click on the titles below to expand the information about each abstract.
Viewing 1 results ...

Duman, D U and Green, S D (2018) Strategizing as Identity Work: Creating Heroes in International Contracting. In: Gorse, C and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2018, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 577–586.

• Type: Conference Proceedings
• Keywords: Narrative turn, identity construction, strategizing, temporality, international contracting.
• ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-9955463-2-5
• URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/6b54b960c5094305641df44307342448.pdf
• Abstract:
  

  This paper addresses the role of narratives in the identity construction of international contractors. Of particular interest is the way in which senior managers within Turkish contractors commonly ascribe themselves a self-identity of being heroes who constantly strive to overcome adversity.  Turkish firms are famed for their ability to work in challenging markets which are not seen to be attractive by their Western competitors. They are notoriously successful for their early penetration of emerging markets and post-conflict zones. It is contended that ‘overcoming adversity’ is an essential facet not only of self-identity of individual managers, but also for the Turkish construction sector as a whole.

  Identity construction in part depends upon a process whereby temporal narratives about the past are created for the purposes of legitimising actions in the future. This process can be seen to operate at level of the firm as well as that of the individual. It can even be seen to operate at the sectoral level. More importantly, the process of identity construction refers to a continuous and temporal interaction between these different levels.

  The empirical analysis focuses on the strategy narratives which are elaborated in the Turkish international contracting sector. The first part of the analysis focuses on the formal narratives which express the collective identity of Turkish international contractors. This is contrasted with the ‘lived narrative’ through as articulated in the context of 31 face-to-face interviews with senior managers within Turkish firms. The findings illustrate the way in which the self-identity of heroes is constructed and sustained, with direct material consequences. Such a process of identity construction is seen as a key strategizing activity that shapes the trajectory of contracting firms. More importantly, the specific focus on narrative and identity literature provides an alternative platform that could extend the strategy research in international contracting.