“We’re all in this together”? The search for collective belonging in a globalised single industry town

Hurd, Fiona; Dyer, Suzette L.

“We’re all in this together”? The search for collective belonging in a globalised single industry town

dc.contributor.author	Hurd, Fiona	en_NZ
dc.contributor.author	Dyer, Suzette L.	en_NZ
dc.date.accessioned	2019-11-15T01:03:49Z
dc.date.available	2017	en_NZ
dc.date.available	2019-11-15T01:03:49Z
dc.date.issued	2017	en_NZ
dc.description.abstract	Purpose Communities of work are a phenomenon closely associated with government social and industrial policy, and can be tracked in contemporary examples globally. This research explores community identity within a town which was previously single industry, but has since experienced workforce reduction and to a large degree, industry withdrawal. Design/methodology/approach Using an inductive approach, the researchers interviewed 32 participants who had resided (past or present) within the instrumental case study town. A thematic analytical framework, drawing on the work of Boje (2007) was employed. Findings A significant theme to emerge from the participants was the public assertion of social cohesion and belonging. However, what was interesting, was that beneath this unified exterior, lay accounts of multiple forms of demarcation. Drawing on Benedict Anderson’s (1983) notion of the imagined community, and Bauman’s (2001) identity in globalization, this contradiction is conceptualised as boundary-making moments of identification and disidentification. Research limitations/implications This research is specific to the New Zealand context, although holds many points of interest for the wider international audience. The research provides a broad example of the layering of the collective and individual levels of identity. Social implications This research provides a voice to the wider individual, community and societal implications of managerial practices entwined with political decisions. This research encourages managers and educators in our business schools to seek to understand the relationship between the political, corporate, community and individual realms. Originality/value This research makes a significant contribution to understandings of the interconnectedness of social policy, industry, and the lived experiences of individuals. Moreover, it contributes to the broader single industry town literature, which previously has focused on stories of decline from a North American context.
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.identifier.citation	Hurd, F., & Dyer, S. L. (2017). ‘We’re all in this together’? The search for collective belonging in a globalised single industry town. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 37(1/2), 106–122. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-08-2015-0089	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1108/IJSSP-08-2015-0089	en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn	0144-333X	en_NZ
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13141
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher	Emerald	en_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOf	International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy	en_NZ
dc.rights	This is an author’s accepted version of an article published in the journal: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. © 2017 Emerald
dc.title	“We’re all in this together”? The search for collective belonging in a globalised single industry town	en_NZ
dc.type	Journal Article
pubs.begin-page	106
pubs.elements-id	193113
pubs.end-page	122
pubs.issue	1/2	en_NZ
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/2024 PBRF
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/DMGT
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/DMGT/2024 PBRF - DMGT
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/DMGT/SMMS
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/DMGT/SMMS/2024 PBRF - SMMS
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_NZ
pubs.publisher-url	http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/IJSSP-08-2015-0089	en_NZ
pubs.user.info	Dyer, Suzette (sdyer@waikato.ac.nz)
pubs.volume	37	en_NZ
uow.verification.status	verified