Strategic innovation and organisational identity: A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation

Abstract

This paper makes the case for an appropriate ontological inquiry into strategy and organisational issues in general and issues of organisational reputation, identity and innovation in particular. It does so by first responding to Powell's suggestion that strategy, and by implication all scholarly work on organisations, should do without ontology. While taking his concerns about ontology seriously, his approach is exposed as ontological itself and it is suggested that Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology is an appropriate path for an ontological inquiry with regards to strategic and organisational issues. In using this type of ontological inquiry, the paper develops an avenue to propose such an ontological understanding, and then suggests a means of comprehending the very nature of organisations. It proceeds to use this insight to develop an understanding of the concepts, reputation, organisational identity and strategic innovation in line with the hermeneutic phenomenology of Heidegger. This understanding demonstrates the intricate, profound and strategic relationship between these phenomena. Fundamental steps for assessing strategic innovation in relation to organisational identity are developed.