Public and private dimensions in the identity-mission nexus: the BikeMi case

The paper investigates the management of multiple organisational identities in hybrid organisational contexts, or, more specifically, those characterised by a guiding vision (or mission) informed by both publicness and privateness. The exemplary case of a public bike-sharing service (BikeMi) born from the partnering of the Comune di Milano (City of Milan) with the business firm Clear Channel Italia (CCI), a subsidiary of a global media and advertising group, opens an insightful window to the identity-mission nexus. The study delivers preliminary evidence of the elements of materiality that help shape the organisational identity of CCI; the publicness and privateness of BikeMi; the symbiotic relationship between the normative (in terms of social impact and public accountability) and the utilitarian (in terms of business goals) dimensions of the CCI organisational identity; and the pragmatism of top management.