«For most of its history, that was not the case»: The importance of corporate archives in the use of past strategy

Abstract

This paper looks at how Barclays used the services of its in-house corporate archives during a period of severe legitimacy crises. In 2012, Barclays were found to have been rigging the LIBOR rate, another scandal in a succession of scandals for the bank and the banking industry since 2008. To rebuild its legitimacy and create a new set of corporate values for employees, Barclays used its historical resources to con- struct new values based on its Quaker heritage. Barclays Group Archives (BGA) were integral in conducting the research that underpinned the narrative that was used to disseminate these values. The archives were also used to preserve and provide the artefacts that Barclays would use in its promotional material. This paper will show the importance of the archives and the archivists in this process and how they pro- vided unique resources and professional skills that were integral in pursuing a use of the past strategy.