The symbolic meaning of artifacts for the workplace identity of women in academia

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the symbolic meaning attributed by women in academia to workplace artifacts.

Design/methodology/approach

The research approach is that of auto-ethnography, whereby the authors, as researchers and participants, explore symbolic meaning from artifacts in their working environment.

Findings

Three themes emerged on the symbolic meaning from artifacts for women in academia. The theme of “affect” revealed women as uncomfortable in their surroundings; “representation”, renders women invisible within the institution; and women felt themselves to be under “surveillance”.

Research limitations/implications

The investigation is limited to one university, which limits generalizability. The implication is to replicate this auto-ethnographical study in other institutions of higher education.

Practical implications

This paper implies that architectural, institutional and personal artifacts play an important role in defining women’s workplace identity.

Social implications

Women in academia identify themselves as “outsiders” in the workplace because of the symbolic meaning they attribute to artifacts.

Originality/value

This study on women in academia is original as it is the first auto-ethnographical study on artifacts in an international institution of higher education.

Citation

Kemp, L.J., Angell, L. and McLoughlin, L. (2015), "The symbolic meaning of artifacts for the workplace identity of women in academia", Gender in Management, Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 379-396. https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-07-2013-0080