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Unraveling HRM: Identity, Ceremony, and Control in a Management Consulting Firm

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  • Mats Alvesson

    (Department of Business Administration, Lund University, P.O. Box 7080, S 220 07 Lund, Sweden)

  • Dan Kärreman

    (Department of Business Administration, Lund University, P.O. Box 7080, S 220 07 Lund, Sweden)

Abstract

This paper addresses human resources management (HRM) systems and practices in a large multinational management consultancy firm. The firm invests considerable resources in HRM, and is frequently praised by employees for its accomplishments in hiring, developing, and promotion. However, this general faith in HRM does not align particularly well with employees’ experiences and perceptions of the specific HRM practices in the firm. The paper critically interprets the meaning and the functions of the HRM system and the beliefs supporting it. The paper suggests a reinterpretation of HRM systems and practices based on a cultural-symbolic perspective. It introduces the concepts of excess ceremonialism, identity projects, and aspirational control to highlight and interpret the significance of organizational symbolism in accounting for the role of HRM systems and practices, and the various effects of HRM systems and practices on employee identity and compliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Mats Alvesson & Dan Kärreman, 2007. "Unraveling HRM: Identity, Ceremony, and Control in a Management Consulting Firm," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 711-723, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:18:y:2007:i:4:p:711-723
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1070.0267
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Ungureanu, Paula & Bertolotti, Fabiola & Pilati, Massimo, 2019. "What drives alignment between offered and perceived well-being initiatives in organizations? A cross-case analysis of employer–employee shared strategic intentionality," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 742-759.
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    6. Andersson, Thomas & Cäker, Mikael & Tengblad, Stefan & Wickelgren, Mikael, 2019. "Building traits for organizational resilience through balancing organizational structures," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 36-45.
    7. Bövers, Jana & Hoon, Christina, 2021. "Surviving disruptive change: The role of history in aligning strategy and identity in family businesses," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4).
    8. Cäker, Mikael & Siverbo, Sven, 2014. "Strategic alignment in decentralized organizations – The case of Svenska Handelsbanken," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 149-162.
    9. Isabel Maria Bodas Freitas, 2011. "Technological learning environments and organizational practices--cross-sectoral evidence from Britain," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 20(5), pages 1439-1474, October.
    10. Michelle Greenwood, 2013. "Ethical Analyses of HRM: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 355-366, May.
    11. Appleby, Kaitlin & Bullinger, Bernadette & Schneider, Anna, 2018. "STEM selves: Women’s identity projects and their assessment of future employers in technical fields," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 311-325.
    12. Marita Susanna Svane & Sanne Frandsen, 2024. "Formal Ethics, Content Ethics and Relational Ethics: Three Approaches to Constructing Ethical Sales Cultures and Identities in Retail Banking," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(2), pages 269-286, January.
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    15. Barbara Brenner & Björn Ambos, 2013. "A Question of Legitimacy? A Dynamic Perspective on Multinational Firm Control," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 773-795, June.

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