Corporate identity: Concept, components and contribution

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the corporate identity concept. This investigation initially provides a brief review of the literature and clarification of the various components of the corporate identity concept. Then, through a series of in-depth interviews with 32 individuals from twenty different organisations in different industries, it aims to develop an understanding of the benefits organisations believe can be derived from a strong identity. The study shows that many practitioners and academics believe that a virtuous corporate identity is pivotal to their success. Many interviewees stated that the benefits of a strong and positive corporate identity could boost employee motivation, increase the ability of the organisation to recruit and retain high quality employees, provide a strong base for organisational culture in the event of mergers and acquisitions, increase transparency of business practices, bring competitive advantage, help to develop better relationships with other businesses and aid investment into the company. The study recommends that businesses should try to develop systematic methods of measuring and managing their corporate identity.