Organizational Identity and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Combining Resource Based View and Configuration Approach

Abstract

Researcher applies the organization identity concepts to configuration (Miller, 1987 & 1996) and resourcebased approaches (Barney, 1991 & 2002)ofsustainable competitive advantage and develops propositionsfor organization identity (Albert &Whetten, 1985; Gioia, 1998) as a sourceofsustainable competitiveadvantage in termsof(a) configurationofidentity characteristics — homogeneity, complexity, intensity,abstractness and fluidity, (b) simultaneous loose and tight couplingofthese organizational characteristics,(c) organizational identity statements as configurationofcritical dimensionsoforganizational purpose and itscontext, (d) organizational image is perceived to be valuable and worthyofa premium (e) organizationalimage promotes positive identification and is perceived to beofcomparably higher value by prospective employees and existing employees.