Responding to organizational identity threats: Exploring the role of organizational culture

In this paper, we present a longitudinal study of organizational responses to environ-mental changes that induce members to question aspects of their organization’s iden-tity. Our findings highlight the role of organizational culture as a source of cues supporting “sensemaking ” action carried out by leaders as they reevaluate their conceptualization of their organization, and as a platform for “sensegiving ” actions aimed at affecting internal perceptions. Building on evidence from our research, we develop a theoretical framework for understanding how the interplay of construed images and organizational culture shapes changes in institutional claims and shared understandings about the identity of an organization. To maintain our identity we have to renew it. —What? (Bang & Olufsen house magazine)