Organizational Cultures of Remembrance

8  The Emergence of Historical Consciousness among the Workforce

The historical development process of official organizational remembrance had a significant impact on the workforce of AUDI AG. According to various informants, specific cultural forms, such as anniversaries and the corporate museum, had “caused a big change in historical consciousness” (Ethno. 74, l. 291). Members not only developed a sense that the company had an extensive past, but also acquired knowledge of what such a past encompassed. They became capable of structuring and narrating organizational experiences in terms of ‘corporate history.’ This knowledge clearly transcended their autobiographical time frames and individual working experiences. Through this long-term perspective ...