The Process of Organizational Identity Construction in Iterative Organizations

Recognizing that organizational identity construction (OIC) is inherently challenging in its own right, we examine the case where this is an ongoing, repeating process. In what we call iterative organizations, wherein the structure and activities of the organization are episodic in nature, the OIC process is repeated indefinitely. We explore the phenomena of organizational identity and the identity construction process in iterative organizations, focusing in particular on the role that discontinuity plays in shaping the identity of the organization. Through the use of five organizational vignettes, representing a range of structural discontinuity, we develop a general framework of OIC in iterative organizations, specifically highlighting the effects of the institutional setting on the process. We extrapolate from this conceptual framework built on iterative organizations to articulate several theoretical and practical implications for organizational identity and identity creation in broader organizational contexts.