Building a Case for Inclusion of Organizational Identity in Turnaround Research

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to build a case for inclusion of organizational identity construct in turnaround research . After a brief review of various perspectives in turnaround research, the paper traces the major findings in turnaround actions and types. Based on the exhaustive list of turnaround actions, seven turnaround action themes were identified - top management change, asset reconfiguration, organizational restructuring, strategic change, substantive changes in membership, transformational change , and functional/ efficiency changes. These seven turnaround themes are mapped into the three organizational identity conceptual criteria – ideational (collective answers to the question ‘who are we?’), definitional (the conceptual domain of central, enduring and distinguishing characteristics of an organization) and phenomenological (a context of profound organizational experience) (Whetten 2006). To extend support four turnaround typologies are also mapped onto these criteri...