Ashraf, Mehreen and Lindebaum, Dirk
2024.
Understanding the emergence of ill-being at work in a post- colonial context: a qualitative analysis.
British Journal of Management
10.1111/1467-8551.12891
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Abstract
Little is known about how ill-being at work is produced in a post-colonial context. In this study, we explore this process through the lens of Critical Theory, examining the interplay between heteronomous obedience and the politicisation of belonging in a multinational company in Pakistan. Drawing on data from 33 interviews, we trace the production of ill-being as employees navigate pressures to conform via (i) mimicking behaviours, (ii) gendering obedience, and (iii) concealing their values and identities. Our findings reveal that ill-being is shaped by the hybrid dynamics of global corporate progressiveness and deeply ingrained local "Seth" culture. This negotiation results in internal conflicts, reinforcing feelings of inadequacy, guilt and isolation, particularly as socio-cultural and gender norms complicate belonging in the workplace. By integrating our findings with the literature, we offer new insights into the production of ill-being in non-Western settings and highlight future research directions.
Item Type: | Article |
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Date Type: | Published Online |
Status: | In Press |
Schools: | Business (Including Economics) |
Publisher: | Wiley |
ISSN: | 1045-3172 |
Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 17 December 2024 |
Date of Acceptance: | 9 December 2024 |
Last Modified: | 22 Jan 2025 10:15 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/174783 |
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