Identity Work in Interdependent Professional Groups: The Role of a Target Identity in Enterprise Systems Implementation

Johann Dietz (), Kai Spohrer () and Hartmut Hoehle ()
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Johann Dietz: Department of Enterprise Systems, Business School, University of Mannheim, 68131 Mannheim, Germany
Kai Spohrer: Management Department, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, 60322 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Hartmut Hoehle: Department of Enterprise Systems, Business School, University of Mannheim, 68131 Mannheim, Germany

Information Systems Research, 2025, vol. 36, issue 3, 1522-1542

Abstract: Enterprise systems (ESs) can be important for the development and maintenance of professional role identities. Prior work shows that a new ES implementation can trigger significant identity work in individuals and groups if it alters their tasks or responsibilities. What has received less attention is that the introduction of a new ES may affect multiple, interdependent professional groups simultaneously, changing how these professional groups can or must interact based on the system properties. Consequently, the introduction of a new ES may also affect how these groups maintain distinctive professional role identities. This study examines how the introduction of a new ES affects the identity work of interdependent professional groups in an organization. Drawing on a revelatory context, we studied the identity work of management accountants and financial accountants in six cases where a new ES merged traditionally separate financial and management accounting modules into one general accounting module. To understand the emergent identity work, we present the construct of a target identity (i.e., a tentative enhanced professional role identity that professional groups actively strive to achieve) and describe three patterns of identity work. We derive five propositions about the conditions under which interdependent professional groups develop a target identity, about the consequences of (not) achieving a target identity, and about the willingness of interdependent professional groups to renegotiate their role boundaries.

Keywords: enterprise systems; module merger; identity work; ERP system; professional role identity; identity; professions; work groups; accounting; interdependencies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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