Plot and storyline analysis of personal identity narratives

The chapter introduces plot and storyline analysis as a fruitful method to examine narratives of personal identity in and around organizations, drawing on published empirical research. It firstly situates the method in a discussion of the narrative construction of identity before outlining some key principles of narrative analysis. By examining plot and storyline, context and audience, and the use of language and metaphor of two illustrative personal identity narratives, the chapter explains how nuanced insights into research participants’ identity work can be gleaned. The chapter concludes with a critical evaluation of the method before proposing three practical steps for researchers new to narrative analysis.