Refreshing core values at KPMG : Understanding the organizational identity through communicating the core values

This master’s thesis introduces the case company KPMG Finland’s new core values and the corporate identity of the organization. The study contains four key themes: corporate identity, perception of core values, core value behavior and communication of the core values. The research investigates whether the core values, including the new values, have an impact on the corporate identity. It reveals how the employees perceive the core values and how the internal communication of the values affects the employees. KPMG has recently launched their refreshed core values. It could be said that previous research within the company shows little evidence of whether the employees understand the core values of KPMG in a desired manner. The interviews are focusing on two generations: baby boomers and millennials. The extent of previous research on the topic is narrow when viewing two different generation’s perceptions of the employer’s corporate identity and core values. The research shows that there is no substantial difference in the answers between the two generations. The perceived corporate identity of all the respondents pursue a congruent direction. The millennials and baby boomers feel that KPMG is a human-centric and conservative organization with a lot of knowledge. The respondents are not familiar with the refreshed core values in this early state of the launching process. After the values have been shown to the respondents in the interview, they have shared their reactions and feelings of the core values. Both generations can relate to the core values and can make use of them in their work. The refreshed core values are seemed as more challenging to understand compared to the old ones