ABSTRACT
This chapter explores company identity or character. The chapter argues that identity or character influences everything else in a culture. Identity includes how people inside view it and how they present it to the public. All companies have identities, some stronger than others. An organization’s internal culture and company reputation are built on its identity. Therefore, identity is the second foundational building block of culture. Identity includes purpose, vision, and values. Identity is closely connected with leadership. In sustainable companies, leaders incorporate purpose into the heart of their business models. They communicate how they carry out purpose through their mission statements and vision.
The chapter looks at the roles of founders and company history in the formation of identity. It discusses how identity persists through myths, symbols, and stories. The chapter includes descriptions of how identity is communicated in companies including Ikea, Eileen Fisher, Seventh Generation, Skanska, Dow, IBM, Gresham Smith, and Danone. It explores how companies signal identity through stories.
The chapter provides a process for assessing organizational history, current identity, and desired identity. It offers a tool for crafting a purpose statement and a process for defining the purpose of one’s own job.
