Effect of Identity Formation Processes in the Practices of Corporate Responsibility Coalitions

In this paper, we explore the process of identity formation for Corporate Responsibility Coalitions (CRCs). CRCs are voluntary member organizations for interested businesses that are often formed to overcome a collective action problem. Specifically, we theorize how these CRCs have their own separate organizational identities that arise from the interaction of multiple organizations working together to achieve some collective goal regarding corporate responsibility. To accomplish this, we introduce a theoretical framework that explains the evolution of CRC identity based on activities taking places in four stages: (1) the influence of external contextual factors; (2) the organizational level; (3) the intersubjective level; and (4) the collective level. Through the development of this model, we address a lacuna in the literature regarding our understanding of identity formation for such groups, which can go beyond the boundaries of a specific sector to represent the interests and goals of diverse member companies. We close with a discussion of the implications of our framework, including directions for future research.