Identity work(s): Creating identity-driven employee behavior through effective identity practices in organizations

This research examines the adaption of a new organizational identity by employees. The overall purpose of this research was to examine the dynamics of acceptance of the new organizational identity, from a process perspective. In contrast to the existing assumptions, a new organizational identity is considered an innovation. In this research, a bank located in the Netherlands was used as a case. In-depth data was retrieved by observations throughout the entire organization. In addition, individual narrative interviews, and focus-interviews were conducted. The findings indicate how employees experienced the key characteristics of innovation. It was found that the organizational identity is not adopted as a whole at once, but rather fragmented in small parts. By every new event (intervention) during the process, employees ‘discovered’ a new aspect of the organizational identity. The findings also indicate that adoption of an innovation in terms of a new organizational identity is a dynamic and cyclical process that requires concrete efforts of actors. These concrete efforts to adopt the new organizational identity are labeled as identity practices. Based on these findings, a model is developed.