From 'silicon steel' to 'iron lady': how a metal company's novel, responsible identity affects its business environment
by Tarja Ketola
International Journal of Business Environment (IJBE), Vol. 4, No. 4, 2011

Abstract: A gentle, middle-aged teacher woman inherits a medium-sized metal industry company from her autocratic engineer father who established the company over 35 years ago. Is that a road to disaster, business as usual or a new beginning? This paper investigates the effects on the business environment of the path chosen by this female entrepreneur. The case study is based on action research, conducted during 2006-2009, aiming to solve the threatening organisational identity crisis of the company. The responsible identity adopted by the organisation through a bottom-up reflection process aroused mixed feelings among stakeholders. While the exhausted employees welcomed the change, the sceptical corporate clients, financiers, local politicians and competitors found it strange. By remaining true to its adopted identity the company gradually turned the initial doubts, mistrust and ridicule into gentle humour, trust and appreciation. The economic crisis that started in 2008 actually increased trust in this company whose new, responsible mission, adopted during the boom, had enabled it to prepare itself for the recession. Local competitors, who were on the brink of bankruptcy, posed a serious ethical problem to the case company, and this initiated a second round of identity reflection.

Online publication date: Sat, 27-Sep-2014

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Business Environment (IJBE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com