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Organization Studies, Vol. 28, No. 5, 661-687 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0170840607076278

A Fresh Look at How Professions Take Shape: Dual-directed Networking Dynamics and Social Boundaries

Kathleen Montgomery

University of California, USA, kmont{at}mail.ucr.edu

Amalya L. Oliver

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, amalyao{at}shum.cc.huji.ac.il

Understanding boundary-spanning activities such as interorganizational alliances and professional/organizational integration requires clarity about what boundaries are being spanned and how they were constructed. We approach this goal by drawing on social identity theory and institutional theory to develop a process model, whereby inward- and outward-directed networking activities combine to build the social boundaries marking exclusive membership and proprietary domain. Four stages in the process are demonstrated, using two longitudinal case studies of emerging professions: the Jewish legal profession in Israel and physician executives in the USA. Despite the cases' contextual differences, analysis of networking activities supports propositions based on the model.

Key Words: social boundaries • membership • domain • networking • professions


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