An identity work theory of temporary organizations: On tensions and temporalities

Current literature on temporary organizations has paid scant attention to identity and identity work. That oversight amounts to a missed opportunity hindering cross-fertilization between research on temporary organizing and the wider field of organization studies. This paper addresses this missed opportunity by proposing a set of defining elements of an identity work theory of temporary organizations. Underlying our suggested theorization is a belief that temporary organizations are strongly associated with specific temporal tensions, which have implications for the nature and process of identity work. The paper develops this argument and discusses temporal tensions along three dimensions: (1) emergent futures , (2) indeterminate pasts , and (3) liminal presents of temporary organizations. We argue that temporal tensions trigger active and ongoing processes of identity work, which are necessary to build and maintain the temporary organization’s identity. • We discuss the foundations for an identity work theory of temporary organizations. • We identify three temporal tensions that define temporary organizations. • The temporal tensions trigger identity work on pasts, presents and futures. • The focus on identity work helps us understand the soul of temporary organising. • Identity work theory can cross-fertilize between research on temporary organizations and wider organizations literature.