Poachers and gamekeepers: processes of class-based organisational closure and usurpation in Sri Lanka’s emerging private sector

Weerahannadige Dulini Anuvinda Fernando*, Laurie Cohen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In a qualitative study based on 25 interviews, we examine highly skilled workers’ accounts of class-based closure in emerging occupational sectors in Sri Lanka. Our findings reveal holes in the entrance criteria firms demanded to secure their elite status. Highlighting how individuals who were excluded at junior levels negotiate entry at mid/senior levels, we show how ‘poachers turn into gamekeepers’, illuminating the dialectical relationship between exclusion and inclusionary usurpation. We contextualise organisational closure, highlighting the influence of wider societal effects on the process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2184-2207
Number of pages24
JournalInternational Journal of Human Resource Management
Volume28
Issue number15
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 20 Jan 2016

Keywords

  • career
  • Class
  • closure
  • recruitment and selection

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Poachers and gamekeepers: processes of class-based organisational closure and usurpation in Sri Lanka’s emerging private sector'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this