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?