Normalizing dirty work: Managerial tactics for countering occupational taint

Blake Ashforth; Glen E. Kreiner; Mark A. Clark; Mel Fugate

doi:10.5465/AMJ.2007.24162092

Normalizing dirty work: Managerial tactics for countering occupational taint

Blake Ashforth, Glen E. Kreiner, Mark A. Clark, Mel Fugate

WPC: Management and Entrepreneurship

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

250 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dirty work refers to occupations that are viewed by society as physically, socially, or morally tainted. Using exploratory, semistructured interviews with managers from 18 dirty work occupations, we investigated the challenges of being a manager in tainted work and how managers normalize taint - that is, actively counter it or render it less salient. Managers reported experiencing role complexity and stigma awareness. Four types of practices for countering taint were revealed: occupational ideologies, social buffers, confronting clients and the public, and defensive tactics. We discuss links between these practices.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	149-174
Number of pages	26
Journal	Academy of Management Journal
Volume	50
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2007.24162092
State	Published - Feb 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Business and International Management
Business, Management and Accounting(all)
Strategy and Management
Management of Technology and Innovation

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