ABSTRACT
In management and organizational sciences, the topic of identity has become a core issue in research and management practice. This chapter provides an overview on identity concepts and perspectives from various disciplines, such as management, organization studies and industrial psychology. It focuses on an increased understanding of discourses on identity and the 'self'. The chapter also provides new perspectives and theoretical knowledge and offers guidance on how to transfer these insights to management and organizational settings. Heiner Keupp, a contemporary German psychologist, has developed his own theoretical stance on identity, identity processes and development, based on and in relation to the formerly described approaches to identity construction and the self. Organizational identity research usually focuses on the impact of organizational identity on organizational success and on enhancing proactivity. Identity is considered a major resource in managing and leading organizations and leadership is seen in the context of power, context and identity.
