Narratives of Recruitment: Constructions of Policy, Practice and Organizational Identity in a Danish bank

A salient aspect of organisational formation is the negotiation for a shared organisational identity (Alvesson & Willmott 2002; Brown 2006; Humle & Frandsen 2017; Svenningsson & Larsson 2006). With organisations consisting of multiple individual identities, this process is not straightforward, but fragmented, potentially leading to identification dilemmas. On this background, the chapter explores the construction of organisational identity in a Danish bank and building society,  adopting the combined approach of (counter)narrative, critical discourse analysis and legitimation (Bamberg & Andrews 2004; Fairclough 2003; Van Leeuwen 2008). The data of the analysis are semi-structured interviews with middle managers on recruitment policies and practices, which are important for the promotion of an organisational identity, e.g. through the profiling of the organisation and desired candidates. The analysis shows that despite efforts to implement a master narrative, narratives may exist that contest and yet exist peacefully alongside it. This, it appears, is party the resultat of strategic initiatives as well as individual experience in local contexts where well-established workplace practices prevail. Thus, the findings may contribute to a deeper understanding of how narratives may either impede or support organizational strategies.