The development of corporate identity: A political perspective

S. Rodrigues, John Child

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    64 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A corporate identity denotes a set of attributes that senior managers ascribe to their organization. It is therefore an organizational identity articulated by a powerful interest group. It can constitute a claim which serves inter alia to justify the authority vested in top managers and to further their interests. The academic literature on organizational identity, and on corporate identity in particular, pays little attention to these political considerations. It focuses in an apolitical manner on shared meanings when corporate identity works, or on cognitive dissonance when it breaks down. In response to this analytical void, we develop a political analysis of corporate identity and its development, using as illustration a longitudinal study of successive changes in the corporate identity of a Brazilian telecommunications company. This suggests a cyclical model in which corporate identity definition and redefinition involve power relations, resource mobilization and struggles for legitimacy.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)885-911
    Number of pages27
    JournalJournal of Management Studies
    Volume45
    Issue number5
    Early online date28 Jun 2008
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2008

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