Vulnerability' at Work

Instrumental Vulnerabilities Among Software Professionals

Bibliographic Data

ID2392356
AuthorsVanessa Ciccone (0000-0002-6767-876X, London School of Economics and Political Science, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume29
Issue4
Pages881-897
Publication date2024-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Research Online (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1360-7804 • E-ISSN: 1360-7804
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/13607804231206949
OpenAlexW4390167964
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited34

As a self-improvement discourse, 'vulnerability' brings a compelling promise for software workplaces around engendering productivity, innovation and creativity among employees. While critical studies have interrogated various self-improvement discourses, less is known about how workers respond to and negotiate these discourses in professional contexts. This article asks how workers of North American software companies construct vulnerability. It finds that constructions instrumentalize vulnerability in the workplace as the exposure of failures, mistakes and knowledge gaps to enact organizational resilience. Drawing from interviews, the article discusses the implications of these constructions

Computer security · Creativity · Economic growth · Negotiation · Political science · Productivity · Psychological resilience · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Vulnerability assessment · Computer Science · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Employment and Welfare Studies · Engineering · Management and Organizational Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access