Corporate identity management: A study of employees’ perceptions in the context of the retail and the hospitality and tourism sectors

This research delves into the evolving landscape of corporate identity and its interplay with corporate reputation. To construct a relevant corporate identity scale, we relied on the existing literature and conducted comprehensive interviews with personnel in the hospitality and tourism, and retail sectors. We then gathered survey responses from 690 individuals in hospitality and tourism, and 649 in retail, to evaluate the corporate identity scale's dimensions and its link to corporate reputation. Our findings validate the proposed model, highlighting that corporate reputation is significantly shaped by various facets of corporate identity. Notably, empowerment directly influences corporate reputation, while elements like corporate purpose, strategy, culture, and a climate fostering inclusion and diversity have an indirect impact. The study underscores the importance of cultivating an inclusive, supportive workplace that prioritizes employee well-being and empowerment, thus underscoring employees’ pivotal role in enhancing an organization's reputation. • Introduces a novel corporate identity scale for UK's hospitality, tourism, and retail sectors. • Demonstrates the influence of employee empowerment on corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement. • Integrates corporate identity, culture, and strategy with reputation and social responsibility. • Accounts for the impact of inclusion and diversity climates on corporate reputation. • Recommends fostering inclusive cultures and aligning strategies with social responsibility for reputation enhancement.