Organizational Identity

Conditions for Organizational Identity

Three defining and necessary conditions of organizational identity were presented by Albert and Whetten: (1) the essence or central criteria of the organization, (2) organizational distinctiveness, and (3) temporal continuity. Of these three conditions, the central character and distinctiveness are closely linked. The core attributes of the organization also distinguish it from other organizations. Defining attributes of the organization, however, are fluid in that they have the capacity to change depending on the organization's current purpose, needs, perspectives, products, goals, culture, or salient outgroups. Organization leaders play an important role in embodying the central characteristics of the organization via social identity processes. A leader is defined as an individual or group who has a disproportionate amount of power and influence over a group. Leaders are able to influence a group's agenda, goals, and achievements; thus, leaders can strategically position the group to accentuate commonalities or differences within and between groups to define and distinguish the organization. This allows organizations to define themselves in manners decided by the organization and its members while permitting placement of the organization into multiple categories. Placement in multiple categories provides the organization the possibility of change while not restricting identification to a single category.

Consistent with Henri Tajfel and John Turner's social identity theory, Albert and Whetten argue that the continuity of organizational identity is [Page 515]critical. That is, one's organizational identity must be enduring in addition to being central and distinctive. Through enduring identities, organizations are capable of creating and maintaining roles within and between organizational communities. For example, Google has created many identities for itself, but it is most commonly known as an Internet search company and technological innovator. The extent to which Google's identity is enduring, distinct, and central can be summed up in a brief, two-word sentence: “Google it.”

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