ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTITY IN BRAZILIAN STATE PUBLIC ARCHIVES

AN INSTRUMENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL DISSEMINATION AND STRENGTHENING

Abstract

The study investigates the construction of Organizational Identity (OI) in Brazilian State Public Archives (SPAs), aiming to understand how this identity can contribute to the institutional strengthening of these organizations. It is considered that, in light of the transformations brought about by information and communication technologies and the growing demands for transparency and accountability, archives need to strategically reposition themselves to increase their visibility, reinforce their legitimacy, and establish more consistent connections with society. The research is based on the understanding that Organizational Identity is composed of symbolic elements that express an institution’s core, distinctive, and enduring values. These elements are generally represented by formal statements of Mission, Vision, and Values, which guide organizational practices, communication processes, and the definition of institutional strategies. The absence or weakness of these components undermines the capacity of public archives to position themselves as relevant institutions for the guarantee of rights, the preservation of memory, and the promotion of citizenship. This is an exploratory-descriptive study with a quantitative and qualitative approach. The methodological procedure involves a bibliographic review. The research unfolds on two fronts: analysis of scientific publications in the Information Science Database and mapping of the websites of state archives. The data were analyzed using content analysis methodology. The results highlight a scarcity of studies on the topic and the absence of identity elements in institutional communication channels. As a response, a participatory theoretical-conceptual instrument is proposed, based on a dialogical approach and structured in three stages: definition of values, mission, and vision. It is concluded that Organizational Identity is a strategic resource still underexplored in Brazilian State Public Archives, and its consolidation can strengthen the institutional image and enhance social legitimacy.