IDENTITY AS BARRIER TO AND FACILITATOR OF CHANGE A CANADIAN PUBLIC SECTOR CASE STUDY

Abstract

Increasing disruptions due to technological advancement, regulatory changes, and global competition imply that organizational change is likely to increase in both volume and velocity. This dissertation answers questions and provides insight for organizational leaders tasked with managing change. The proposed research takes a balanced perspective about two views on organizational identity; one that argues organizational identity is defined as that which is enduring, and a second one that says organizational identity is alterable, fluid and can be constructed, deconstructed, reconstructed, and maintained. A case study approach is used to research identity change at Shared Services Canada from the perspective of those that have lived through that change as internal members and as external clients. My goal is to examine the role of legacy identity in a public sector/government organization’s transition to a shared services business model. It addresses the question how does legacy identity help with a public sector/government organization’s transition and/or impair transition to a hybrid organizational form?