Rashi Sonal is a doctoral candidate in Organisational Behaviour at the London School of Economics. Her research focuses on the interplay between identity and image at work. Existing research has examined identity processes but has relatively less to say about image, a fundamental dimension of self-perception. How an individual believes he or she is defined by other people can be equally, if not more, consequential for their professional life and career trajectory than their self-views or identity.  

Rashi's work examines the relationship between identity and image, highlighting the fundamental role of image in understanding identity processes, and its outcomes in organizations. She explores how individuals manage identity and image construction in both typical organizational settings and among gig workers, and how this process impacts the individual, their interpersonal relationships, and the audience.  She employs various qualitative, quantitative, and experimental methods in her research. 

Rashi chaired a symposium titled: ‘Identity Work Beyond the Organisational Scaffold’ at the 2023 Academy of Management Conference which was nominated for the Best Symposium award in the Managerial and Organisational Cognition (MOC) Division.

Before joining LSE, Rashi received a dual MSc degree in Global Strategic Management from the University of Virginia, US, and ESADE Business School, Spain. She holds a Bachelors in Commerce (Honours) from the University of Delhi, India.

Rashi has received several awards and scholarships. She received the ‘Best Paper of the Track’ award at the 2020 Indian Academy of Management Conference and was awarded a scholarship for her MSc programme. 

Rashi also has industry experience in financial audit, having worked with Deloitte for two years.

View CV

Job Market Paper Title:

Crystallizing Nebulous Identities: How New Work Identities are Born and Maintained amidst Image Discrepancy. 

Conference Presentations:

• Janardhanan, N. S., Reaney, R., Sonal, R., Hollensbe, E., & Spriha, Y. August 2024. The Art of Stenciling: Agency in Work Identity Construction amidst Sudden Change. Academy of Management Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, USA. 

• Sonal, R., Janardhanan, N. S., Hollensbe, E. September 2024. Crystallizing Nebulous Identities: How New Work Identities are Born and Maintained amidst Image Discrepancy. British Academy of Management Annual Conference, Nottingham, UK. 

• Sonal, R., Janardhanan, N. S., Hollensbe, E. August 2023. Follow me on Instagram? Identity Spillover and Image Discrepancy among Online Independent Workers. Academy of Management Annual Conference, Boston, M.A., USA. 

• Sonal, R., Janardhanan, N. S., Hollensbe, E. October 2023. Follow me on Instagram? Identity Spillover and Image Discrepancy among Online Independent Workers. London OB Research Day Conference, London, UK. 

• Janardhanan, N. S., Reaney, R., Spriha, Y., & Sonal, R. June 2022. Identity Stenciling: Constrained and Agentic Identity Work Amid an Ongoing Crisis. Positive Organizational Scholarship Research Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. 

• Sonal, R.  January  2020. Analyzing patterns of anti-migrant sentiments:  The role of critical mass. Indian Academy of Management Conference. Indian Institute of Management, Tiruchirappalli, India. Won Best Paper of the Track Award. 

• Sonal, R. December 2019. Sir, Ma’am or Just the Name? Understanding how Forms of Address impact Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship. Pan IIM World Management Conference, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, India.