We can no longer be who we are: Using Historical Bricolage to Reconstruct Organizational Identity of the House of Mewar

By Navneet Bhatnagar, Willliam B. Gartner, Pramodita Sharma, Kavil Ramachandran

Citation

Bhatnagar, Navneet., Gartner, Willliam B.., Sharma, Pramodita., Ramachandran, Kavil. (2024). We can no longer be who we are: Using Historical Bricolage to Reconstruct Organizational Identity of the House of Mewar .

2024

Abstract

The identity of an organization is critical to its market acceptance and success. Conceptualized from a process-oriented perspective, organizational identity is viewed as a temporal phenomenon that is shaped and reconstructed over time. Extant literature on organizational identity discusses in detail its definitions and epistemological and ontological dimensions. However, the dynamics involved in the process of organizational identity reconstruction in the context of an evolving external environment, are not adequately examined. Though leaders are known to reconstruct their organization’s past to obtain acceptance, the knowledge of how materiality is mobilized in identity reconstruction of organizations with deep history remains inadequate. We address this critical knowledge gap in this paper. Employing a unique single-case study of the former royal family of Mewar (Rajasthan), India spanning over 13 centuries, this paper examines how the 75th-generation family leader reconstructed their organizational identity from that of the rulers/administrators to successful luxury hoteliers, as they converted their old palaces into luxurious heritage hotels. This was a significant and challenging transition for the Mewar royal family. The family faced monetary constraints and a lack of management competence to run the hospitality business. The study identifies that the Mewar family leaders reconstructed the organizational identity in four distinct phases through bricolage and dynamic capability renewal employing a mix of materiality, and socio-economic and cultural connections with the local community. The bricolage elements contributed authenticity, legitimacy, competence, and social embeddedness to the reconstructed identity of the business.

Kavil Ramachandran is a Professor of Entrepreneurship (Practice) at the Indian School of Business (ISB). A founding faculty member, Professor Ramachandran established the Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at the Indian School of Business in 2001. He later served as the Associate Dean (Academic Programmes), before becoming the Thomas Schmidheiny Chair Professor of Family Business and Wealth Management, and subsequently the Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at ISB until December 2021. He is currently the Senior Advisor, Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise.

He specialises in family business, entrepreneurship, and strategy, with 36 years of combined academic experience at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and the Indian School of Business. Professor Ramachandran holds a PhD from Cranfield University, UK. His research focuses on family business, entrepreneurship, and strategy. He has authored and edited seven books and published extensively in reputed Indian and international journals.

His consulting experience includes areas such as family business governance, professionalisation, succession planning, strategic planning, identification of new opportunities for growth, corporate entrepreneurship and turnaround strategies in family and non-family business environments. His special expertise lies in managing the challenges at the interface of governance, professionalisation, and strategy, particularly in rapidly growing mid-size, multi-generational family businesses.

He has demonstrated special interest in mentoring young members of business families. He spearheaded the initiative in ISB offering a new MBA-level programme for the next generation of family business leaders (PGP MFAB) ,and was adjudged the “Faculty of the Year” by students in both 2018 2019, 2024. He was also adjudged the “Faculty of the Year” by students of Advanced Management Programme for Infrastructure (AMPI), 2024. In 2022, he was conferred with the Bharat Asmita Acharya Shreshtha Award (Best Indian Teacher in Management) by MIT World Peace University, Pune.

Recognising the contributions to institution building under the leadership of Ram in this area, ISB was rated as one of the best 25 business schools for family business in the world by Family Capital in 2015. He was mentioned as a “Star Professor” in that report. The Thinkers Leadership Magazine listed Ram as one of the top 100 management thinkers in India in 2014 and 2015, the only years it did such a listing. In 2022, Ram was listed amongst the top family business influencers in the world in the academics’ category by Family Capital. The combined effect of the multiple initiatives is the creation of a reassuring positive atmosphere in India towards family businesses in general and their sustainability across generations.

He has authored several case studies, worked with several well-known family business leaders and global experts, and consulted on transformation of family businesses. A frequent speaker at family business forums in India and abroad, he also contributes regularly to popular media. He has conducted numerous training programmes for family businesses on governance, professionalisation, strategic management, and entrepreneurship.

Professor Ramachandran has served on various advisory committees for the Government of India, the World Bank, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). His book, The 10 Commandments for Family Business, has been considered as one of the best books in this area. He has been a pioneer academic entrepreneur, propagating the message of strengthening family business in India and outside.

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Kavil Ramachandran