How do I know who you think you are? A review of research methods on organizational identity

The notion of organizational identity was introduced in management studies in 1985. In the following twenty five years, a vibrant debate about how to conceptualize organizational identities and related themes (multiple identities, identity change, interrelations between identity, image, and culture, etc.) does not seem to have corresponded to explicit reflections about specific methodological issues. In this paper we inductively review research methods adopted by studies of organizational identity published in top level journals, with the purpose of deriving insights about the current status of research practices, uncovering their often tacit ontological and epistemological assumptions, and stimulating discussion about their possible evolution.