Defining Authenticity

Authenticity: Is it Organizational or is it Marketing?

April 8, 2008

Of all the current conversations about authenticity and organizations, none is more vibrant- and confused- than the conversation that mingles authenticity, authentic brands and authentic organizations. The Harvard Business Review March 2008 issue has a case by David Weinberger about the fictional Hunsk Engines, entitled “Authenticity: Is it Real or is it Marketing?“This case offers [...]

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5 (More) Reasons Why Being Authentic Can Be Bad for Your Organization

March 13, 2008

Being authentic limits who your organization can attract as partners. Not every organization wants to do business with an organization that’s authentic, because authentic organizations can be demanding partners. Authentic organizations need partners who will support the organization’s dedication to authenticity, who will appreciate why the organization dedicates its resources to sustaining authenticity, and who [...]

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Every organization has an authenticity story. What’s yours?

February 28, 2008

Every organization has an authenticity story. And, anyone who has worked in an organization has a story about authenticity. I am looking for interesting stories, illuminating examples, and intriguing dilemmas related to authenticity in organizations and the authenticity of organizations. Whenever I talk with someone about my research and consulting interests, that person has a [...]

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Defining Organizational Authenticity

December 9, 2007

What does it mean to be an ‘authentic organization’? I’ll be trying to answer this question in a number of different ways, but for this particular post, let me offer a somewhat academic perspective: Authenticity is a quality of experience that a member has of an organization, when the member feels a congruence between what organization believes [...]

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