Organizational Ghosts: The Preservation and Function of Organizational Legacies

Abstract

Within some organizations, certain individuals seem to “live on” after they are gone. We often refer to these individuals as having a legacy, or a representation that endures in the collective memory of the group after their departure. In this manuscript, we examine the role of legacies in organizations, providing a deeper understanding of how they endure in organizations, and the influence they have on contemporary members of the organization. Drawing on qualitative data collected from two organizations in the early stages of merging together, we find that legacies endure in three domains within organizations: 1) cognitive space, in the form of first and second-hand memories, 2) social space in the form of communicative acts, and 3) material space in the form of material artifacts. We also find that these legacies perform five critical functions related to the ongoing social identity processes within the organizations: 1) roots–supplying meaningful identity content and providing a stabilizing sense of continuity; 2) compass– guiding current organizational members towards appropriate behavior; 3) magnet – helping members feel greater pride through their connection to the successes of former members; 4) cushion–providing comfort and reassurance during challenges; and 5) shield–protecting the organization’s core values from decisions or actions that would damage or undermine those core values. This study illuminates the importance of collective memory processes for organizational studies and opens new avenues for the study of organizational memory and identity.