This book is the result of a number of studies of managerial work, identity and organization which we have conducted over more than a decade as members of the organization studies group at the Department of Business Administration at Lund University. Our main purpose is to examine essential elements of modern working and organizational life at close quarters. This has been done through in-depth studies of a number of people who work as middle or senior managers. Our aim is to understand the typical relationships between experience, work situation and identity in an organizational context. In doing so, we attempt to highlight how organizations and occupational groups work. We address the dilemmas and problems which lie beyond the impression given by more formal and official descriptions.

Organizations are often complex and unwieldy, and many occupational groups and managers have difficulty successfully combining ideals and positive identities with the complexities and imperfections of life. Modern-day working life is, in many ways, contradictory and complicated – what seem like good ideals and clear recipes for success can easily cause deadlock and become traps for managers.

The research which has led to this study has taken place in a number of sub-projects, with varying emphases. We are grateful for the research grants received from FAS, Vinnova and Handelsbanken's Research Foundation. We would also like to thank our colleagues Johan Alvehus, Tony Huzzard, Dan Kärreman, Daniel Nyberg, Jens Rennstam, Robyn Thomas and Robert Wenglén, who have contributed with both empirical material, which we have used in the book, and creative discussions on managerial work and identity.

We would also like to thank the managers who have taken part in the studies – in particular the thirteen people we studied in depth, who with immense candour (and perhaps not a little courage) placed themselves at the disposal of research. But the other eighteen interviewees also deserve our thanks, as do Johan Alvehus, Ola Håkansson and Nadja Sörgärde, who have read and commented on the manuscript.