Abstract
The notion of occupational identity is of central importance to the field of organisation and management scholarship. Recent events in the UK, notably the Post Office-Horizon Scandal, have drawn attention to the problematic nature of such identities with respect to activities that individual employees (including managers and senior executives) have persisted in undertaking, over lengthy periods, where such activity may be seen later not only as dysfunctional but also as unlawful and/or unethical. This poses a challenge to management scholarship and management education. This development paper presents a novel mode of theorising such issues, drawing upon von Uexküll’s concept of Umwelt, extended through the work of Cassirer and Harré, and supplemented by Wittgenstein’s analogy of a ‘hinge’ as matters taken as beyond doubt. This is applied to the Post Office-Horizon case. Plans and proposal for further development of the theoretical frame and for empirical analysis using text mining are presented.