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The concepts of identity, power and self are analysed in relation to the narrative utilising a post\u2010structuralist, critical management lens, particularly drawing from Foucault.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper reflects and critiques the challenges of undertaking auto\u2010ethnography, not least the publication and exposure of a \u201cvulnerable aspect\u201d of the author but also identifies this as a powerful method to explore how one uses narrative to create meaning and constitute oneself; the challenges of such textual representation and the various ways one adapts, resists and survives the challenge of the \u201cmultiphrenic\u201d world.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The contribution this paper makes is an \u201couting\u201d of the dynamics of being a manager in the NHS and an opening of a debate on current management discourse and practice. The further value of this paper is the experimentation of critically evaluating an auto\u2010ethnographic approach to researching management identity work.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/14777260510608943","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,1,15]],"date-time":"2007-01-15T20:02:08Z","timestamp":1168891328000},"page":"204-218","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Exhausting management work: conflicting identities"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Jane","family":"Mischenko","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022012120295610900_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Alvesson, M. and Deetz, S. (2000), Doing Critical Management Research, Sage, London.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781849208918"},{"key":"key2022012120295610900_b2","unstructured":"Ashforth, B. 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