The Hive:
Identity Construction within a Coworking Space
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Masters by Research
Wong Lijuan Abigail
(B. Bus Marketing)
School of Management
RMIT University
April 2015
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to acknowledge the support and assistance provided by the following
individuals and organizations during the course of this dissertation:
• Dr. Tim Butcher
• Ass. Prof. Helene Cherrier
• The Coworking Space that gave me to opportunity to conduct my research in
• The Interviewees for their time and effort
• My family and friends for their undying support during tough times, especially to my
parents, Wong Hwa Cheong and Lee Mei Lyn Patricia
• My partner in good and bad times, Mitchell Osborne Purser
• My Level 9 colleagues, who never fail to support and offer their assistance especially
during tough times, I can never thank you enough:
o Bamini Balakrishnan
o Oscar Dousin
o Siti Maliza Salleh
o Ploy Su
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Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... i
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Background of Research ...................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Brief Introduction of the Coworking Space ......................................................................... 4
1.3 Research Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................ 5
1.4 Methodological Overview ................................................................................................... 6
1.5 Summary of this Dissertation............................................................................................... 7
LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 11
PART A- Coworking Literature........................................................................................... 13
2.2 Introduction to Coworking ................................................................................................. 13
2.2.1 What is Coworking? ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.2 The Values of the Culture of Coworking ........................................................................ 19
2.2.3 Why people cowork? ...................................................................................................... 22
2.2.4 Who are coworkers? ....................................................................................................... 24
2.2.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 25
PART B - Organizational Culture, Identity & Image ........................................................ 27
2.3 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 27
2.3.1 Hatch and Schultz’s Organizational Identity Dynamics Model ..................................... 28
2.3.2 Organizational Culture ................................................................................................... 32
2.3.3 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 34
PART C - The Constructs of an Individual’s Identity ....................................................... 35
2.4 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 35
2.4.1 An Individual’s Identity .................................................................................................. 36
2.4.2 The Self and Generalized Other ...................................................................................... 38
2.4.3 Othering .......................................................................................................................... 41
2.4.4 Identity Work in Organizations ...................................................................................... 42
2.4.5 Identity Regulation and Control...................................................................................... 45
2.4.6 Conformity and Resistance ............................................................................................. 48
2.4.7 Organizational Archetypes .............................................................................................. 49
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2.3.8 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 52
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 54
3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 55
3.2 Research Methods ............................................................................................................ 55
3.2.1 Qualitative Research Methodology................................................................................. 55
3.2.2 Interpretivist Epistemology ..................................................................................... 56
3.2.4 The Role of Ethnographers ............................................................................................. 60
3.2.5 Reflexivity and Subjectivity ........................................................................................... 62
3.2.6 Why a Single Case Study? .............................................................................................. 66
3.3 Research Design ............................................................................................................... 67
3.5 Research Outline .............................................................................................................. 67
3.5.1 Participant Observation (Real-life Identities/Communities) .......................................... 68
3.5.1.1 Data Collection (Participant Observation) ........................................................... 70
3.5.2 Netnography (Online Identities/Communities) ............................................................... 70
3.5.2.1Ethnography on the Internet .................................................................................. 70
3.5.2.2 Private Social Networks - Yammer ...................................................................... 71
3.5.2.3 Use of Images, Technology in Ethnography ........................................................ 72
3.5.2.4 Data Collection ..................................................................................................... 73
3.6 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 73
3.6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 73
3.6.2 Why use Grounded Theory? ........................................................................................... 74
3.7 Researcher’s Role............................................................................................................. 78
3.8 Ethical Issues .................................................................................................................... 80
RESEARCH FINDINGS & ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 82
4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 83
4.2 The Doing of Coworking ................................................................................................. 84
4.2.1 The Ballroom............................................................................................................... 85
4.2.2 Mixed Bag Lunches .................................................................................................... 89
4.2.3 The Second Level ........................................................................................................ 92
4.3 The Hive’s Culture & Image ........................................................................................... 98
4.4 Setting the Scene ............................................................................................................ 103
4.5 Identities Constructed within the Hive - Coworking Archetypes ............................. 110
4.5.1 Identity 1: The Nostalgic ........................................................................................... 111
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4.5.2 Identity 2: Corporate Refugees ................................................................................. 114
4.5.3 Identity 3: The Outsider ............................................................................................ 118
4.5.4 Identity 4: The Self-Imposed Exiles.......................................................................... 121
4.5.5 Identity 5: Collaborative Isolators ............................................................................. 123
4.7 Summary of Findings .................................................................................................... 124
DISCUSSION & IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................... 128
5.1 Dissertation Summary ................................................................................................... 129
5.2 Implications to the Hive................................................................................................. 131
5.3 Recommendations for the Hive..................................................................................... 133
5.4 Research Limitations .................................................................................................... 135
5.5 Theoretical Contribution............................................................................................... 137
5.6 Future Research ............................................................................................................. 138
5.7 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 138
REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 141
APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................... 147
Appendix 1: Research Plain Language Statement ............................................................. 147
Appendix 2 – Interview Questions ..................................................................................... 152