A Holistic Corporate Identity Communications Process

Purpose of paper: This paper addresses the total communications process. It seeks to examine how formal and informal corporate identity contributes towards the development of aligned or misaligned corporate identity in business organizations. Design/method/approach: A review of literature focusing on informal corporate identity development process together with the outcome of integrating formal corporate identity with informal corporate identity communication process was made. The risks associated with the emergence of a misaligned corporate identity were also highlighted. Importantly, two models highlighting how the informal corporate identity develops and the stage by stage processes through which the total corporate identity communications process works were established. Findings: A definition, which underscores the role of employee behavior as a critical factor in the meaning of informal corporate identity was developed. A six stage informal corporate identity development process including (1-corporate personality appraisal; 2-appraisal melding, positioning; 3-communications; 4-assimilation of corporate personality/corporate identity; 5-informal expression of corporate personality; 6-development of a corporate image) was developed. A similar model highlighting how a total corporate communications process works was advanced and the risks involved in the development of a misaligned corporate identity was put together. Similarly a 3 point advisory guide of how these risks can be curtailed was put forward. These include coercive, radical management, soft approach. Theoretical implication: Existing work on corporate identity communications has focused mainly on the formal aspects of corporate identity. There is limited literature addressing informal corporate identity and its effect on the total corporate identity communications process. This paper attempts to fill this gap. Importantly, the study will add to the existing literature of corporate identity and enhance in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. Practical implications: The development of a definition for informal corporate identity; insight into its process development and its role within the total corporate identity communications process implies that practitioners can develop a better understanding of this phenomenon. Insight into this process will provide managers with an understanding of how the total corporate identity communications process can be better managed. Limitation of study and future research direction: This is a conceptual study. There is a lack of empirical evidence this work. This presents an opportunity for future research. Originality and value of paper: This paper makes an attempt to contribute towards the field of corporate identity by providing insight into how the expression of informal corporate identity through employee behavior can derail the total corporate identity communications process. Insights into this process allows managers responsible for the management of corporate identity to circumvent a possible derailment in the total corporate identity communications process by developing preventive measures that will check, foil and avert such problems. A work of this nature is highly limited within the literature and it therefore makes this study unique, useful and original in all ramifications.