Reconciling contradictory paths: identity play and work in a career transition

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the interconnection of identity play and identity work during transitions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have conducted a 46-year longitudinal and process-based study on film director Denys Arcand. The focus is on his contested career shift from being a political documentary filmmaker to a box-office success and maker of television commercials. Films and media interviews were largely and systematically analyzed. Findings – In order to explain how to maintain a sense of authenticity in transitioning between contradictory paths, the authors highlight how identity play and identity work appear in self-fuelling interaction through four processes (fragmenting, developing, mixing, and extracting). Practical implications – The authors suggest new ways to deal with career transitions as well as identity construction in constraining environments. Originality/value – The authors offer a theoretical framework that makes it possible to combine understandings of identity play and identity work. In particular, the authors develop on how, through play, individuals can create circumstances favourable for performing identity work in the future.

Identity Work and Emotions: A Review

“…Although several studies use the concept of identity play (e.g. Fachin and Davel ; Van Vugt ; Webb et al . ), none of them investigates emotions.…”

Exploring Traditions of Identity Theory for Human Resource Development (HRD)

“…Fachin and Davel (2015) also utilise the work of Ibarra (with Petriglieri, 2010) to argue that, when future career identities are unknown, identity work combines synergistically with identity play processes of discovering and exploring future possibilities (Ibarra & Petriglieri, 2010). They commend their framework to career counsellors and, we suggest, HRD practitioners supporting people considering radical career transitions, or those whose job/career transition is beyond their control (Fachin & Davel, 2015). We now elaborate on the latter as part of organisational development.…”

Keeping Alive Inter-Organisational Innovation Through Identity Work and Play

“…Ultimately identity work and play, for Ibarra and Petriglieri (2010), are distinguished in terms of their underlying purpose, place and process (Ibarra and Petriglieri, 2010). Fachin and Davel (2015) argue, however, that the concepts are not dichotomous, but instead interconnect during processes of identity experimentation such as those of career transition. This paper builds on this conceptualisation of the relationship between identity work and identity play.…”