Concluding Emotion Regulation in Organizations: A Field in Motion

Abstract In this concluding chapter, the authors synthesize the key insights from Volume 20 of Research on Emotion in Organizations, tracing the evolution of emotion regulation from a primarily individual coping mechanism to a dynamic, multilevel, and socially embedded process central to organizational life. Drawing on the 11 chapters in the volume, the authors identify four overarching themes: emotion regulation is dynamic and processual, contextually sensitive and flexible, closely tied to identity and role work, and inherently social and collective. These contributions highlight how emotion regulation is shaped by cultural norms, role identities, leadership dynamics, team interactions, and lifespan development. Rather than relying on fixed strategies, individuals engage in an ongoing process of emotional negotiation within organizational contexts. The authors outline a future research agenda that calls for longitudinal, culturally informed, and developmentally aware approaches. The authors also urge scholars to examine the role of power and digital technologies in shaping regulation processes and to design interventions that support emotion regulation across multiple organizational levels. The authors position emotion regulation as a core organizing principle that advances theoretical understanding and supports emotionally intelligent leadership, identity development, and workplace design.