University organizational identity

The thesis prepared by Elizabeth Martínez Orozco, entitled "Analysis of organizational identity at the University from academics. Promote and manage changes", has been directed by Dr. Joaquín Gairín Sallán, and was defended before the tribunal formed by María Mercedes Gisbert Cervera (Rovira i Virgili University) acting as President, David Rodríguez Gómez (Autonomous University of Barcelona), acting as secretary and Esther Jiménez López (International University of Catalonia), acting as vocal.

The University undergoes unprecedented changes to respond to the demands that society places on it. Organizations face global changes and universities, as educational organizations and promoters of knowledge, are no exception. The transition from a University focused mainly on education and training in a local context, to a University that is also asked to promote research in an international context, has unquestionably impacted its organizational identity.

Analyzing the organizational identity in the University, based on the perceptions of the academics, allows favoring the generation of guidelines that contribute to making the pertinent adjustments to the university organization in these times of change. It is important to strengthen the organizational identity based on shared beliefs.

Considering that organizational identity favors the balance between tradition and innovation, this research analyzes how academics perceive changes in the identity of the university organization, and its relationship with organizational identification in the Mexican context; given that based on their shared beliefs, guidance can be provided on how to outline the forces of change.

For this reason, the objectives with this thesis have tried to understand the organizational identity in the University from what is central, distinctive and enduring; and analyze the factors that favor and limit academics to feel identified with the organizational identity of the University.

The methodology used starts from the interpretive paradigm through a qualitative study. The sample is concentrated in 30 full-time academics from 5 representative private and public universities in Mexico. For the analysis of results, the QDAminer software was used.

The elements that favor and limit the identification of academics with their University revolve around ideational, personal and organizational factors.

Based on the literature review, the results of the field study and the conclusions presented, management guidelines have been designed to promote the organizational identity of the University. A University in constant change, which must seek the balance between research, innovation and tradition, all perpetuating the values ​​that distinguish the University from other types of organizations, and at the same time it must favor the organizational identification of its academics while responding to the demands than society.