Organizational Identity

Just as individuals know themselves and gain identity through stories, so too do organizations. Acting as the sub-texts of organizational culture, that is, the underlying story that the members have helped construct, organizational narratives place members in a network (Brown & McMillan, 1991) and produce an identity to which they can relate collectively. When in the new congregation, members individual actions were held up as significant by the group, a sense of identity developed that was personal to the recipient yet shared among all. It is the me/us emotion of attachment and referred to as collective identity (Armenakis, Field, & Harris, 1999). The organizations in which it occurs are noted for their member’s emotional connection with a broader community (Polletta & Jasper, 2001). Here, members realize their shared worldviews, that is, the meanings they take for granted (Patriotta, 2003) and become invested in the organization they have created (Mumby, 1987).

If at some level self-identity can be connected to an organization (Humphreys & Brown, 2002), altering the story within it can alter how we perceive ourselves (Gubrium & Holstein, 2000). The response can be defensiveness, especially if what is proposed is thought to diverge from accepted practices (Churchman, 2006).