In many instances, a company’s efforts to find its identity and articulate it are based on a belief in a single monolithic corporate identity. Our research leads to a different view-namely that organizations have multiple identities. In fact we have delineated five kinds of identity, which can be examined in a framework termed the AC2ID TestTM (ACCID), namely the actual, communicated, conceived, ideal, and desired identities. These reflect respectively: the current, distinct attributes of the organization; what the organization communicates about itself; the perceptions of the corporation by stakeholders; the optimum positioning for the organization; and corporate vision from the perspective of the CEO or management board.
A key premise underlying the effective use of the AC2ID Test framework is that in any given identity situation management should understand each and all of the five identities. Further, management must be alert to critical misalignments among the identities, misalignments that potentially can seriously weaken a company.
Authors: John M T Balmer, Stephen A. Greyser
Source: Bradford School of Management
Subject: Organizational Behavior
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