Music as the Key
to Organizational Identity- Telling the story of a Danish Indie
Per Darmer
Copenhagen Business School
Institute of Organization and Industrial Sociology
Solbjerg Plads 3
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Phone: +45 38 15 29 50
E-mail: pd.ioa@cbs.dkMusic as the key to organizational identity
The paper is part of an ongoing research of a certain part of the Danish music industry: The Danish independent labels. The research of the Danish independent labels has been going on for a couple of years, where the researcher has visited, interviewed and informally chatted with some of the Danish independent labels more or less frequently during the last couple of years.
This abstract very briefly talks about how the research has been done to give some background. Before focusing on what the paper will be about. The Idea for the paper has slowly ermerged during the research.
The research of the Danish independent labels is constructivistic (Guba, 1990) and applies a modified version of the two levels in empirical phenomenology (Moustakas, 1994).
"Level I, the original data is comprised of naïve descriptions obtained by open-ended questions and dialogue. On lvel II, the researcher describes the structures of experience based on reflective analysis and interpretation of research participant's account of the story." (Moustakas, 1994, p. 13).Level I in the research of the Danish independent labels consists of open-ended interviews and dialogues with the independent label, where the informants were encouraged to give their understanding of the label, the industry etc.. On level I the researcher gets an understanding of the world of the independent labels (the researcher gets a native-view without going native).
Level II in the modified version of empirical phenomenology is not about describing structures, as structures indicate that there is something objectively beneath that we are capable of revealing and describing. Instead level II is about a double interpretation, where the researcher reflects upon the insights gained from the empirical data to make the researcher's own subjective interpretation of how he sees the world of the independent labels (or a phenomenon within it).
The idea for the paper emerged from the empirical data, as they made the researcher wonder about the identity of the independent labels. Based on that the paper will be theorising (Weick, 1979) on organizational identity, music and the relation between identity and music within the Danish independent labels. Weick's, 1979 concept of theorising captures the ongoing process of talking about concepts in order get an understanding (not the understanding but one of many) of these concepts and the relation between them. The paper in this way follows Weick, 1979 "How can I know what I think until I see what I say" but replace it by: "How can I know what I construct, until I read what I write."
The point here is that it is retrospectively understood what has been constructed (we act / write and make sense of our actions / texts). The paper follows that in the sense that the paper tries to make sense (Weick, 1995) of the empirical data in relation to organizational identity and music by writing about it. It does not mean that the paper is unclear on its purpose and what it argues. It is how the argument is built and how it will eventually develop, which is still not quite clear (but it will be so retrospectively).
The purpose of the paper is to argue that (or rather construct) music as an immanent and important part of identity formation and development amongst the small independent labels of the Danish music industry.
The paper argues that the identity of the Danish independent labels cannot be understood without without taking music into account. If it is so, the understanding will be deprived something essential, as music is what these labels rotate about. Music is the product, the industry, and an integrated part of the label. Music is a living product that shapes those involved with the label.
Music as an essential part of the identity of the independent labels is retrospectively constructed as it emerged from the analysis of the empirical data. The paper develops this understanding by theorising about identity, music and the relation between the two. The theorising is done in two steps and the paper reflects these two steps: A theoretical theorising and an empirical illustration.
The theoretical theorising will draw upon selected theories on organizational identity to discuss and relate them to the independent labels in order to get an understading of the way music shape the identity of these labels. The paper will draw upon Whetten & Godfrey, 1998 and their view of identity being something which the members of the organization consider: Central, distinctive and enduring. The paper will launch a critic of Whetten & Godfrey, 1998 for prefabricating the three categories that identity consist of. If it is supposed to be the view of the organizational members, which decide, should they not be able to decide which categories identity consist of as well ? The critic leads the way for looking at how Giddens, 1991 see self-identity as something individuals construct themselves as an ongoing process throughout their lives, and how that can be applied to the independent labels. Humphreys & Brown, 2002 will be drawn upon as well both in the theoretical theorising and in the empirical illustration. Below it is briefly illustrated how how the two steps can be related as an appetiser ending this abstract, but before that a few words about the empirical illustration.
The empirical illustration will demonstrate and discuss how music created and shaped the identity of a specific Danish independent label. Here we get the local theorising about a certain label to see how music and identity intertwined in theís particular label (or rather how the researcher subjectively has constructed it). The label was formed to produce a certain band, which is not an unfamilar way of bringing independent labels into being. The music and the band was part of the identity formation of the label. The development of the label shows how its identity changed, when other bands were signed, and when the band, the label was created to produce, went to another label. The label still kept within a certain musical style, but changed within that style in relation to the music it produced. The musical style is the identity of the label. Some of those involved in the label produced other styles of music as well, but they did that on other labels. Each music style has its own seperate label, showing that music and identity of the single label was intertwined. On the other hand the multiple labels under the same overall umbrella showed multiple identities as well. Meaning that people have multiple identites, as pointed out by Humphreys & Brown, 2002, but in this case each label has a certain musical style, making the music and the identity of the label inseperable.
The empirical illustration is presented as a narrative (Bruner, 1991 and Czarniawska, 1998). This is done for two reasons foremost: The first is that writing about music lend itself to the narrative form. The second is that narratives has already been discussed related to Humphreys & Brown, 2002, which makes it obvious to put words into action by actually presenting a narrative.
As mentioned, the last part of this abstract sums up what the paper will argue and be about. Humphrey & Brown, 2002 see identity as "constituted in personal and shared narratives that people author in their effort to make sense of their world and read meaning into their lifes." (p. 421). In the case of the independent labels it could be said that identity is constituted in the music that people refer to to make sense of the label, their work and their lifes, as the label, their work and their lifes are intertwined in such a way that they become inseperable. Music is their lifes making working with and producing music part of their lifes (in music).
The paper does not disagree with Humphreys & Brown, 2002 that narratives and dialogues processually construct identity and organization, but in the case of the independent labels, these narratives and dialogues evolve around music. Making music speak louder than words (or making words just one of the musical instruments). It seems to be music that is the centre of all talk in the labels, so "when the music is over" (The Doors), so is the life of the label. Without music, no organization and no identity. Meaning that man may be not be a stoirytelling animal (Humphreys & Brown, 2002) afterall, but a "musical animal".
The presentation of the paper will be:
A blend of music and talk, as music is part of the organizational identity.
References:
Giddens, A.: Modernity and Self-identity. Policy Press, Cambridge, 1991
Guba, E. C. (ed): The Paradigm Dialog. Sage Publications, Newbury Park, 1990
Humphreys, M. & A. D. Brown: Narratives of Organizational Identity and Identification: a case study of hegemony and resistance. Organization Studies, 23: 3, 2002, pp. 421-447.
Moustakas, C.: Phenomenological Research Methods. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 1994
Weick, K. E.: The Social Psycology of Organizing. 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 1979.
Weick, K. E.: Sensemaking in Organizations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 1995.
Whetten D. A. & P. C. Godfrey (eds.): Identity in Organizations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 1998.