The Past Speaks

AS: As you can see, I’ve got a paper on the programme of the Annual Conference of Section of Business Archives (SBA) of the ICA, 4th-6th December 2017, Mumbai.  Our paper is about how having an archive can be an important source of competitive advantage for firms. We will be presenting some robust statistical evidence that having and using an archive allows executives to make better decisions. More details and photos will follow after the conference. 

Check out the conference website.

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Venue: Godrej Auditorium, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli (E), Mumbai 400079, India

Theme

‘Going Back to the Future: The Role of Corporate Archives in Reshaping Brand Identity and the Corporate Culture’

Corporate archives have always been a golden repository of historical stories for the brand. But are we exploring the potential of these archives to the fullest, what is the real value of this storehouse of knowledge? Over two days, we will discuss the future role of business archives and the part it can play in charting the course of brand identity.

Contrary to popular belief, corporate identity comprises much more, and runs far deeper than the visual identity of a brand. It is a combination of the brand’s history, heritage, core philosophy, its technology choices, and critically – its people. In a scenario where businesses view corporate identity as a crucial strategic differentiator, company archives, as a storehouse of organizational knowledge, is well poised to facilitate the creation of a brand’s unique identity.

The legacy that a brand leaves behind in its evolutionary process is vital to its corporate identity, if it is to be truly representative of the business and its philosophy. An enriched corporate identity, powered by historic legacy becomes a tool for building an understanding of business and instilling a sense of belonging among stakeholders. This ensures their commitment to the overall business vision and gives a sense of direction and purpose – eventually contributing to the success and sustained growth of any business.

The conference aims at exchanging ideas with archivists, marketers and brand custodians from across cultures and countries to explore the vital connection between the past and the future.

SUB THEMES

Role of business archives in building organisational identity
Lessons from history: Corporate legacy as a leadership tool
Understanding the DNA: Corporate memory as an educational tool
Localising the global: Building corporate identity in emerging markets
Re-imagining the DNA: Role of corporate memory in the future business strategy
Merged Identity: Mergers, acquisitions and issues of corporate identity
Preserving corporate memory: Recording corporate voices

LIST OF SPEAKERS :

Alexander Bieri (Roche, Switzerland)
Anders Sjoman (Centre for Business History, Stockholm)
Andrea Hohmeyer (Evonik Industries AG, Germany)
Wim van Lent (Montpellier Business School) – Joint paper with Andrew D. Smith (University of Liverpool Management School), Diego M. Coraiola (University of Alberta)
Aspey Melanie (Rothschild Archive)
Bruce Smith (Historian, Australia)
Cai Yingfang (The Section of Business Archives, The State Archives Administration of China)
Chinmay Tumbe (Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad, India)
Henning Morgen (A.P. Moller – Maersk, Denmark)
Indira Chowdhury (Centre for Public History, India)
Jason Dressel (History Factory, USA)
Niles Lichtenstein (Enwoven, USA)
Rajndraprasad Narla (Tata Central Archives, India)
Rob Perks (British Library, UK)
Tobias Ehrenbold (Historian, Switzerland)
Tony Nilsson (Inter Ikea Group, Sweden)
Tracey Panek, (Levi, USA)
Yuko Nagai Matsuzaki (Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation, Japan)