The thesis takes an interpretative approach to understanding and realizing the corporate identity via the process of (co-)managing and co-creating its meaning, value, and raison d'être. It reveals an existing gap between the still-dominant functionalist control over the organizational development processes and the more inclusive, transformative purpose of a socially constructed “better tomorrow” for all, not just the corporate elite. The research question is as follows: How does leadership influence the strategic alignment of multiple, diverse organizational identities with the overarching corporate identity or, more precisely, which influence mechanisms can leadership employ to encourage shifts from the current state to the desired state in the case of discrepancies between various organizational identities and the overarching corporate identity? The empirical part of the thesis is based on the qualitative research methodology, specifically in-depth semi-structured interviews with experts in corporate management, branding, marketing, and human capital management. The findings not only identify key influence mechanisms but also significantly highlight the opportunity for bridging the observed gap, particularly by further exploring practical and complementary solutions that can assess the potential, feasibility, and impact of a shared raison d'être more clearly, accurately, and above all, transparently.
|
