situation in the IT sector where it is not yet clear that IT is a recognisable profession. Research into professional identity can reveal how, even whether, workers as professionals and the impact of this on them as individuals, and hence on the quality of work, their perceived status and loyalties. IT leaders are in a unique position of setting expectations for their teams and of representing IT units within their organisations so a consideration of their movements in and through the sector and their self-identification in the workplace can inform attempts to stabilise the IT workforce. Indeed, the following questions arise: do IT professionals construct a professional identity based on belonging to a professional body with consequent observations of membership, skills and ethics; is identity disrupted through role change and challenges to skills-based self-efficacy and if so what impact does this have on individuals? The literature is explored in four separate themes: theories of identity which underpin empirical research and analysis; studies of professional identity in a range of professions; professional identity in IT, about which little has been published; and finally, theories and identity studies in leadership and in particular IT leadership. The themes are designed to uncover what is known about identity and what it means for IT leaders, and subsequently for the IT sector. In the main, studies of the construction of professional identity draw on two theories of identity that have evolved over the last 50 years: identity theory and social identity theory; often failing to state their theoretical position. Underpinned by symbolic interactionism, these mature theories collide and overlap in the process of analysing behaviour and narratives of self. Leary & Tangney (2003) argued that there is broad general agreement within sociology and psychology that, at its core, consideration of the self is underpinned by our human ability to self-reflect. Alongside these theories, structuration theory (Giddens, 1984) considers the extent to which the individual as agent can construct an identity as opposed to being curtailed by the situation in which they find themselves. The research questions for this study of IT professionals, as they emerge from the literature review, are presented in the final section of this chapter. 2.2 Theories of Identity Recognising that while some behaviour is spontaneous, most self-regulating behaviour (for example feelings of guilt or self-esteem) arises from this ability to self-
situation in the IT sector where it is not yet clear that IT is a recognisable profession. Research into professional identity can reveal how, even whether, workers as professionals and the impact of this on them as individuals, and hence on the quality of work, their perceived status and loyalties. IT leaders are in a unique position of setting expectations for their teams and of representing IT units within their organisations so a consideration of their movements in and through the sector and their self-identification in the workplace can inform attempts to stabilise the IT workforce. Indeed, the following questions arise: do IT professionals construct a professional identity based on belonging to a professional body with consequent observations of membership, skills and ethics; is identity disrupted through role change and challenges to skills-based self-efficacy and if so what impact does this have on individuals? The literature is explored in four separate themes: theories of identity which underpin empirical research and analysis; studies of professional identity in a range of professions; professional identity in IT, about which little has been published; and finally, theories and identity studies in leadership and in particular IT leadership. The themes are designed to uncover what is known about identity and what it means for IT leaders, and subsequently for the IT sector. In the main, studies of the construction of professional identity draw on two theories of identity that have evolved over the last 50 years: identity theory and social identity theory; often failing to state their theoretical position. Underpinned by symbolic interactionism, these mature theories collide and overlap in the process of analysing behaviour and narratives of self. Leary & Tangney (2003) argued that there is broad general agreement within sociology and psychology that, at its core, consideration of the self is underpinned by our human ability to self-reflect. Alongside these theories, structuration theory (Giddens, 1984) considers the extent to which the individual as agent can construct an identity as opposed to being curtailed by the situation in which they find themselves. The research questions for this study of IT professionals, as they emerge from the literature review, are presented in the final section of this chapter. 2.2 Theories of Identity Recognising that while some behaviour is spontaneous, most self-regulating behaviour (for example feelings of guilt or self-esteem) arises from this ability to self-