TY - JOUR

T1 - Anti-identity strategizing

T2 - The dynamic interplay of “who we are” and “who we are not”

AU - Stanske, Sarah

AU - Rauch, Madeleine

AU - Canato, Anna

N1 - Special Issue: Exploring the Strategy-Identity Nexus

PY - 2020/2/1

Y1 - 2020/2/1

N2 - In this article, we investigate the strategy–identity nexus by illustrating the interaction between organizational identity, anti-identity, and strategy. While extant research illustrates the potentially constraining role of organizational identity on change trajectories, less is known about the role of organizational anti-identity. Drawing on a qualitative case study of a leading German distributor’s 32-year history, we highlight the importance of organizational anti-identity for both continuous and discontinuous change initiatives, and illustrate how organizational members can overcome identity ambiguity by referring to “who we are not as an organization” rather than to “who we are as an organization.” We further show how managers who draw on identity reservoirs may have greater leeway when exploiting anti-identity, and how ambiguity and resistance may be overcome by referring to “who we are not” as an organization. Our findings broaden our understanding of the role of anti-identity for strategy selection and contribute to the burgeoning literature on the strategy–identity nexus.

AB - In this article, we investigate the strategy–identity nexus by illustrating the interaction between organizational identity, anti-identity, and strategy. While extant research illustrates the potentially constraining role of organizational identity on change trajectories, less is known about the role of organizational anti-identity. Drawing on a qualitative case study of a leading German distributor’s 32-year history, we highlight the importance of organizational anti-identity for both continuous and discontinuous change initiatives, and illustrate how organizational members can overcome identity ambiguity by referring to “who we are not as an organization” rather than to “who we are as an organization.” We further show how managers who draw on identity reservoirs may have greater leeway when exploiting anti-identity, and how ambiguity and resistance may be overcome by referring to “who we are not” as an organization. Our findings broaden our understanding of the role of anti-identity for strategy selection and contribute to the burgeoning literature on the strategy–identity nexus.

KW - Management studies

KW - anti-identity

KW - identity reservoir

KW - organizational identity

KW - strategizing

U2 - 10.1177/1476127019855753

DO - 10.1177/1476127019855753

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 18

SP - 136

EP - 170

JO - Strategic Organization

JF - Strategic Organization

SN - 1476-1270

IS - 1

ER -