Link threats with opportunities: Managing multiple identities in intrapersonal identity network

Zhenjing Han () and Pia Arenius ()
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Zhenjing Han: EM - EMLyon Business School
Pia Arenius: EM - EMLyon Business School

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Abstract: Existing research has widely investigated identity work responding to identity threats but under-explored identity opportunities perceived in identity-implicating experiences. Also, previous studies treat identity threats and identity opportunities as isolated but ignore their interconnections. This paper adopts an intrapersonal identity network approach to study how identity threats link with identity opportunities and how individuals manage identity threats and opportunities in their intrapersonal identity network. Through the thematic analysis of 69 narrative interviews with 55 female successors and some of their parents in 50 family-owned firms, we find a new base of commitment, altruistic commitment, which is based on willingness and prosocial orientation. Our framework of identity work and interidentity work in three forms of multiple identity relationships (synergistic, conflicting, and compatible) and the six senses that can be categorized as identity opportunities (sense of prosocial orientation, sense of accomplishment, sense of recognition, sense of social responsibility, sense of purpose, and sense of mission) broaden the identity theory literature.

Keywords: Identity; Female successors; Family firms; Gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07-31
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Published in Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting 86th, Jul 2026, Philadelphia, United States. ⟨10.5465/AMPROC.2026.21588abstract⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05708327

DOI: 10.5465/AMPROC.2026.21588abstract

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