A grounded theory of the corporate identity and corporate strategy dynamic (original) (raw)
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Purpose – This article has an explicit purpose of making a theoretical contribution to the issue of senior management cognitions of the corporate identity/corporate strategy interface. The aim of this research is to particularise the nature and saliency of this interface to corporate marketing scholars and practitioners alike. Design/methodology/approach – This article adopts a grounded theory methodology and is informed by three in depth case studies undertaken among three building societies (mutuals) operating within the British Financial Services Industry. Findings – The results confirm the saliency of the corporate identity/corporate strategy dyad vis‐a‐vis the comprehension and management of contemporary organisation. Theoretically, the study finds that senior management's cognitions of the corporate identity/strategy interface are interdependent, symbiotic and dynamic in nature: the nature of the dyad differed among the three institutions examined. In terms of the nascent domain of corporate marketing, this study confirms the extant literature, which suggests that, in addition to comprehending the psychology of customers and other stakeholders, the psychology of senior managers is also highly germane. Practical implications – Within corporate marketing contexts, organisations should be mindful of the critical importance of the corporate identity/strategy interface; a concern for the above should be an important part of their corporate marketing as well as regulatory and strategic deliberations. However, senior managers should note the inherent dangers to identity maintenance where material alignment between corporate identity and strategy is ignored and where cognitive alignment is adopted as a surrogate: the former entails a synchronisation of facts whereas the latter entails the calibration of beliefs vis‐à‐vis corporate identity and strategy. Originality/value – This is a major theory‐building study, which examines managerial cognitions of the corporate identity/strategy interface and a major study of its type within the British Building Society sector. Keywords: Building societies, Corporate identity, Corporate marketing, Corporate strategy, The corporate identity/strategy interface, Financial services, Grounded theory, Marketing
Conceptualizing corporate identity in a dynamic environment
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal
Purpose This study aims to revisits the meaning of corporate identity (CI) in practice to identify its key dimensions and the interrelationships between them and to provide insights on how to operationalize the construct. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a comprehensive literature review and qualitative research consisting of 22 semi-structured interviews with senior managers from 11 UK-leading companies, and three in-depth interviews with corporate brand consultants who worked closely with these firms in cognate areas. Findings The study identifies the following six key dimensions of CI in the UK industry: communication, visual identity, behavior, organizational culture, stakeholder management and founder value-based leadership. Research limitations/implications The focus on UK leading companies limits the generalizability of the results. Further studies should be conducted in other sectors and country settings to examine the relationships identified in the curren...
Perceived corporate identity/strategy dissonance: triggers and managerial responses
An emerging critical theme in the nascent field of corporate marketing and corporate identity is the identity/strategy dyad. However, little empirical research has been undertaken to explore such an interface in the field of marketing. This article reports a theory-building case study relating to identity and strategy during a period of environmental transformation. It was found that identity and strategy were perceived dissonant by senior managers under the presence of a strong industry-wide generic identity and associated perceived corporate strategy controversy. The study revealed that managers responded to such dissonance by means of attributing, self-legitimating and adjusting their perceptions of the organisation's identity and strategy.
Practitioner Conceptualisations of Corporate Identity, 1945-2008: Review and Analysis
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2008
This paper provides an update on the dominant practitioner conceptualisations of corporate identity since the coinage of the terminology "corporate identity" by Walter Margulies in the early post Second World War period. Literatures contributed by practitioners between the 1950s and today are reviewed using thematic timeframes. The outcom e of the study indicates that corporate identity focused on seven dominant issues, namely planning; management; challenges; change; corporate identity (CI) mix; evaluation and meaning. There is also an indication that these conceptualisations are driven by novelty of concept; fierce competition; vertical disintegration of business and publication of influential texts. The paper offers a 'bird's eye view' of important arguments in corporate identity to academics just starting a career in this field. Insights from this study allow researchers to gain a quick understanding of the debates in corporate identity and in so doing grow quickly in knowledge about it.
Seven dimensions of corporate identity: A categorisation from the practitioners' perspectives
European Journal of Marketing, 2006
Purpose -This paper investigates what organisations perceive as the essential components of corporate identity concept and their contents. It proposes an operational definition of corporate identity on the basis of the practitioners' views. Design/methodology/approach -The information was gathered through 32 in-depth interviews with managers from different organisations (mainly multinational companies) and an analysis of corporate literature and web sites. The initial analysis is based on a multidisciplinary categorisation developed by the first author, which facilitated the systematic analysis of a wide range of components (e.g. corporate communication, corporate design, corporate culture etc.) associated with corporate identity. Findings -The study shows that there is a considerable divergence in opinions concerning the fundamental components of corporate identity among practitioners. Most interviewees heavily associated identity with the areas of corporate design, communication, behaviour and strategy whereas there was no unanimous agreement as to whether or not corporate culture was a product or determinant of corporate identity. Research limitations/implications -Developing sub-items and their measures for each dimension presented in the proposed definition and examining the possible relationships between them might be the further step. Also additional empirical research which considers consequences of corporate identity management in relation to company performance indicators could enhance overall understanding of the concept. Practical implications -Senior company management can use the categorisation discussed in this paper as a starting point for development of corporate identity management strategies. Originality/value -Recategorisation of Melewar's corporate identity dimensions, which help define corporate identity concept in measurable terms.
Corporate Identity Congruence: a meanings-based analysis
Journal of Business Research, 2018
This paper introduces the five-dimensional concept of Corporate Identity Congruence. Companies sometimes create complex identities involving multiple meanings, that may not work well together, and unknowingly send mixed messages to stakeholders. Failure to evaluate corporate identity congruency creates the risk of internal and external misalignment. The authors draw upon interpretations from 153 interviews with company senior managers, onsite observations and hundreds of documents from 124 companies in seven countries within a grounded theory study. The new conceptualization of Corporate Identity Congruence includes congruence of corporate identity meanings within one top manager's mind, alignment between several top managers' perceptions, cohesion among a set of elements/signals, correspondence between meanings and signals, and consistency of meanings and signals over time. This paper suggests that one corporate identity can contain multiple meanings so the overall corporate identity congruity must be holistically analyzed. Moreover, this study suggests incongruity does not always need to be avoided.
Purpose – This article outlines the nature of corporate marketing myopia and details the salient characteristics of a corporate marketing logic. The notion of identity‐based views of the firm is held to be highly meaningful to the comprehension of corporate marketing. In addition, the paper aims to broaden the understanding of the antecedents of corporate marketing by making reference to earlier, integrative endeavours (sensory integration, design integration, communications integration, branding integration and identity integration). Design/methodology/approach – The commentary explains the nature, antecedents, and benefits of an organisation‐wide corporate marketing logic. Findings – A corporate marketing logic characterises those organisations which realise their institutions and corporate brands can be important sources of differentiation. Moreover, it is held that organisations need to be involved in multi‐lateral relationships vis‐à‐vis customers, other stakeholders and with society at large. It is also mindful that an organisational marketing orientation should accord sensitivity to CSR/ethical concerns. A key precept of the corporate marketing logic is that it is institution‐wide ethos which is enacted via an organisation's culture. A long and a short definition of corporate marketing are enumerated. Practical implications – Perceiving organisational marketing via the prism of identity‐based views of the firm and utilising the new corporate marketing mix (the 8Cs of corporate marketing) affords a practical and pragmatic means by which senior managers can foster and maintain a corporate marketing ethos and culture. Originality/value – A corporate marketing framework is introduced which is informed by: identity‐based views of the firm perspective and by key corporate‐level constructs.
Managerial Perceived Identity/Strategy Dissonance: Antecedents and Cognitive Responses
2005
This article reports a theory-building case study relating to identity and strategy during a period of institutional transformation. The setting for this theory-building case study was a major UK building society. The most significant emergent theme of the case study is what we call 'perceived identity/strategy dissonance.' The aforementioned was found to be pervasive within the top management team of the organization under study. It was found that the antecedents of perceived identity/strategy dissonance comprised several factors such as the presence of a strong industry wide (and normative) identity, competitive pressures, and the opportunities presented within the financial services market. The study revealed that managers responded to such dissonance by means of attributing, legitimating, and adjusting their perceptions of the organisation's identity and strategy. Our findings confirm the strong link between identity and strategy and support the dynamism of company identity during periods of institutional and industry turmoil.