Rapid growth, acquisitions, and diversification are examples of major changes that often result in the need to redefine the distinctive characteristics of the organization in question thereafter. However, a sudden identity presentation that significantly differs from the past lacks credibility among both the organizational members and the organization’s external constituents. We contribute to previous research by showing the previously neglected potential that lies in the flexible selection, valuation, and spatio-temporal positioning of referents, and how this enables the construction of an identity that is simultaneously sufficiently congruent with the organization’s present activities and continuous with its previous identity. Moreover, we also reveal how this use of referents changes across the phases of organizational evolution. Empirically, our findings are grounded on an intensive case study of an organization over a 20-year time frame that evolved from a minor spin-off to a prominent and eventually to a major diversified company.

快速增长、收购和多元化是重大变革的例子，这些变革往往导致此后需要重新定义相关组织的独特特征。然而，突然出现的与过去截然不同的身份表现在组织成员和组织的外部成员之间都缺乏可信度。我们通过展示之前被忽视的潜力，在于灵活的选择、评估和时空定位，以及这如何能够构建与组织当前的活动充分一致并与组织的当前活动保持一致的身份，从而为之前的研究做出贡献。它以前的身份。此外，我们还揭示了这种指称的使用如何在组织演变的各个阶段发生变化。根据经验，