Organizational Identity: A Reader

Organizational Identity presents the classic works on organizational identity alongside more current thinking on the issues. Ranging from theoretical contributions to empirical studies, the readings in this volume address the key issues of organizational identity, and show how these issues have developed through contributions from such diverse fields of study as sociology, psychology, management studies and cultural studies. The readings examine questions such as how organizations understand who they are, why organizations develop a sense of identity and belonging where the boundaries of identity lie and the implications of postmodern and critical theories’ challenges to the concept of identity as deeply-rooted and authentic. Includes work by: Stuart Albert, Mats Alvesson, Blake E. Ashforth, Marilynn B. Brewer, George Cheney, Lars Thoger Christensen, C.H. Cooley, Kevin G. Corley, Barbara Czarniawska, Janet M. Dukerich, Jane E. Dutton, Kimberly D. Elsbach, Wendi Gardner, Linda E. Ginzela, Dennis A. Gioia, E. Goffman, Karen Golden-Biddle, Mary Jo Hatch, Roderick M. Kramer, Fred Rael, G.H. Mead, Michael G. Pratt, Anat Rafaeli, Hayagreeva Rao, Majken Schultz, Howard S. Schwartz, Robert I. Sutton, Henri Taijfel, John Turner, David A. Wherren, and Hugh Willmott. Intended to provide easy access to this material for students of organizational identity, it will also be of interest more broadly to students of business, sociology and psychology.

Mary Jo Hatch (PhD Stanford 1985) is Professor of Commerce at the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia (USA). Related to her work on organizational identity, she has published numerous articles on organizational culture, organizational symbolism, and organizational identity and image in academic journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Human Relations, the Journal of Management Inquiry and the European Journal of Marketing. Other publications include the textbook ’Organization Theory: Modern, Symbolic and Postmodern Perspectives’ (OUP 1997) and ’The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Reputation and the Corporate Brand’ (OUP 2000, co -edited with Majken Schultz and Mogens Holten Larsen). Majken Schultz (PhD Copenhagen Business School 1986) is Professor of Management at the Copenhagen Business School at the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management. She is currently leading the research-based Corporate Brand Initiative in collaboration with Mary Jo Hatch. She has published numerous articles on organizational culture, corporate reputations and organizational identity, and image interrelations in academic journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Human Relations, Organization Studies, the Journal of Management Inquiry, Corporate Reputation Review and the European Journal of Marketing. Other publications include ’The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Reputation and the Corporate Brand’ (OUP 2000, co -edited with Mary Jo Hatch and Mogens Holten Larsen).