Among Followers and Rebels: Professional Identity and Digitalization of Work Karin Högberg University West Karin.hogberg@hv.se Sara Willermark University West Sara.willermark@hv.se Abstract The digitalization of work practices has changed many professions. In this study, we explore the relation between professional identity and digitalization in the workplace. We join the research stream within professional identity research that views identity as a narrative construction, a story that individuals tell themselves and others to tell who they are, in this case in relation to digitalization. The empirical data derive from two different contexts: Nordic primary school teachers and European hoteliers at an international hotel chain. In total, 72 interviews were conducted. The study contributes to existing literature by providing increased knowledge on digitalization of work practices by illustrating different approaches to digitalization of work that extend over a specific profession. Theoretical contributions involve presenting a new model highlight the intricate interplay between technology and professional identity and how it creates different positions and approaches in a digitalized working life. Practical contribution includes implications for management. Key words: digitalization, professional identity, digital frames, cross-case study 1. Introduction The digitalization of society has increasingly affected a range of industries, such as healthcare, education and tourism, to mention a few [1-3]. Two decades ago, IT such as emails and teleconference systems represented new ways for organizations to communicate internally and externally [4]. Currently, the growth of digital technologies continues to impact organizations in new ways [4] and transform organizational routines, processes and, not least, work tasks and professional roles [5]. Researchers discuss that digitalization of organizations today is less about technology and more about strategy and that “less digitally mature organizations tend to focus on individual technologies and have strategies that are decidedly operational in focus” [5, p. 3]. Thus, while early digitalization initiatives were regarded as “IT projects” or “IT strategies,” it is no longer possible to make a clear distinction between organizational strategy and IS strategy [6-8], and digital strategies in the most mature organizations are developed with an eye on develop the organization, rather than the technology per se. The digitalization of organizations can be seen from a “fusion view,” that is, instead of viewing the implementation of IT as projects, it can be viewed as a transformation and strategy where the organization and technology are equally central [9]. In the present paper, we consider digitalization of workplaces as a transformation that disrupts and changes organizational processes, routines and work tasks. Consequently, this means transforming workplaces, professional activities and interactions and thus challenging professional identity. However, we still know little about organizational change and changes in work tasks induced by the introduction of digital processes [5] and the changed conditions for different professions [10] which often bring increased complexity to work [11]. Despite the ubiquitous presence of IT in workplace contexts there is still little research that investigates the relationship between professional identity and IT use [1, 12]. Professional identity refers to an individual’s image of who they are as a professional and concerns attitudes, values and motives related to the profession and its work tasks [13]. Earlier IS research has taken a slightly fragmented perspective on professional identity and IT [12]. A more nuanced understanding of the disruptive force of the digitalization of workplaces and its relationship to identity dynamics is therefore necessary [10, 14]. The present study aims to fill some of this gap by studying the relation between professional identity and digitalization in the workplace. More specifically, we examine the relationship between existing professional identity and the digitalization process. By examining professional identity in relation to digitalization of work, we can better understand how it is received by Proceedings of the 53rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences | 2020 Page 2599 URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10125/64059 978-0-9981331-3-3 (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)