The influence of liminality on organizational identity change

Purpose – This paper intends to analyse the relationship between organizational identity and liminality, bringing to the fore the role that individuals who are only temporarily involved in organizational decision processes can exert in elaborating visions about who organization can become and inspire changes in its core and distinctive values and beliefs. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a qualitative research based on three exploratory case studies conducted in three Italian companies. Findings – The empirical evidence shows the interplay between organizational identity, practices, and liminality. The emergence of a perception of liminality in consultants as well as in clients’ managers and employees is intertwined with the elaboration, dismissal, and reconstruction of practices, and with sensemaking about organizational identity. Originality/value – This paper informs our understanding of the agency of organizational identity change that can involve a wider range of actors than organizational members and stakeholders, who have a well-grounded interest for the fate and success of the organization. The transitionary participation of other actors like consultants, which can be likened to liminal experiences, can prompt a debate on how an organization can evolve, triggering a change process. Unravelling the influence of liminality on organizational identity expands also on the comprehension of the creativity offered by liminal experiences, which can touch upon the essence of host organizations. Finally, the possibility of liminal experiences to morph over time and to spur additional liminal experiences, thus introducing dynamism in the theoretical perspective on liminality, is highlighted by this study and discussed.