In depicting individuals with their salient identities, it becomes clear that for this group of participants none had constructed solely technical skills-based identities. With the exception of the Drifters, technical expertise in IT had been their career starting point so while value was expressed in technical skills and frustration was expressed at times with their role within organisations, all had constructed new identities as their careers and roles developed. Organisational, technical skills-based and leadership identities all formed part of identity construction for this participant group, varying according to a dynamic combination of career entry, skills development, work experiences and personal values. 5.2.2 Influence of Personal Identity 5.2.2.1 Identity expressed through personal values (C5) Personal values emerged from most of the life narratives and values cited included helping others which, in some cases, involved close listening to the needs of IT users and respecting the value of the work they did. In O’Conner’s (2006) study of the teaching profession, caring is defined as emotion, action and reflection associated with a desire to teach. Using a similar definition of caring as resulting from the participants’ desire to support and help end users, caring was observed in thirteen participants. Lindsay and Hazel in particular expressed pride in what their organisations were setting out to achieve and revealed that it chimed with their personal values. For some, the emotion observed was frustration at not being able to do more to help users because of a lack of resources. Studies on gender, work and identity in IT have found that women have a greater affinity to users (Sørensen, 1992). In fact, twelve of the fourteen participants, including all three women, expressed value in doing a good job and this was related to good outcomes for service users. Expressing value in working practices is indicative of ingroup behaviour leading to increased self-esteem. 5.2.2.2 Home impacting work - identity as a family member (C6) Home life impacting on work and vice versa emerged from the narratives and, in particular, in the case of all female participants. Gender was not specifically identified in the literature review, although it emerged through all three of the women’s life narratives. A sizeable body of knowledge exists
In depicting individuals with their salient identities, it becomes clear that for this group of participants none had constructed solely technical skills-based identities. With the exception of the Drifters, technical expertise in IT had been their career starting point so while value was expressed in technical skills and frustration was expressed at times with their role within organisations, all had constructed new identities as their careers and roles developed. Organisational, technical skills-based and leadership identities all formed part of identity construction for this participant group, varying according to a dynamic combination of career entry, skills development, work experiences and personal values. 5.2.2 Influence of Personal Identity 5.2.2.1 Identity expressed through personal values (C5) Personal values emerged from most of the life narratives and values cited included helping others which, in some cases, involved close listening to the needs of IT users and respecting the value of the work they did. In O’Conner’s (2006) study of the teaching profession, caring is defined as emotion, action and reflection associated with a desire to teach. Using a similar definition of caring as resulting from the participants’ desire to support and help end users, caring was observed in thirteen participants. Lindsay and Hazel in particular expressed pride in what their organisations were setting out to achieve and revealed that it chimed with their personal values. For some, the emotion observed was frustration at not being able to do more to help users because of a lack of resources. Studies on gender, work and identity in IT have found that women have a greater affinity to users (Sørensen, 1992). In fact, twelve of the fourteen participants, including all three women, expressed value in doing a good job and this was related to good outcomes for service users. Expressing value in working practices is indicative of ingroup behaviour leading to increased self-esteem. 5.2.2.2 Home impacting work - identity as a family member (C6) Home life impacting on work and vice versa emerged from the narratives and, in particular, in the case of all female participants. Gender was not specifically identified in the literature review, although it emerged through all three of the women’s life narratives. A sizeable body of knowledge exists