Organizational Identity

Organizational Identity

An organizational identity is a set of defining attributes and parameters used to distinguish a particular group of people coordinating on a common mission.

The most effective way to establish a strong organizational identity is to clearly state the defining attributes and parameters upon the founding of the organization- and continually show strong association between the group's work and the defined parameters.

Association Examples

The most obvious defining attribute is a name; in Open Source Ecology's case, is "Open Source Ecology".

Observers who see a website with the name "Open Source Ecology" perceive association between the defining attribute "Open Source Ecology" and the website's claims about who are part of Open Source Ecology.

Similarly, observers who see people contributing to the "Open Source Ecology Wiki" perceive association between the contributors and Open Source Ecology.

Youtube videos with the word "Open Source Ecology" or including sounds, words, and visuals that people have perceived on the "OSE" website/wiki- produce association between those videos and Open Source Ecology.

People Perceive Then People Associate

Organizational identity is really all about associative perception. The question of organizational identity is: what appears to be the defining attributes and parameters- and who appears to have the stronger association?