Discursive Strategies of Organizational Identity Formation in Benefit Corporations: Coping with a Meanings Void and Assimilating External Feedback

Abstract

The benefit corporation (BC) is a for-profit corporation that is legally required to generate profit for its shareholders and pursue public benefit. Based on a multi-method approach, this study traces the process of organizational identity formation (IF) in benefit corporations. This study provides rich empirical data on organizational identities (OI) formed in and by BCs. The analysis reveals discursive mechanisms that are used by members to construct OI and present it to outside audiences. Importantly, this study offers further opportunities to theorize the process of identity formation in alternative organizations.

Keywords:

• B Corp
• Benefit Corporation
• Organizational Identity Formation

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank George Cheney for his input on this article and for his involvement in the larger research project of which this article is a part.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.