Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a model indicating the impact of corporate identity management on managing relationships with employees in organizations. Design/methodology/approach -This is an analytical paper consisting of a literature study of relevant literature, and results based on a PhD study. Findings -A preliminary model is proposed indicating that non-visual corporate identity elements, especially organizational values and objectives impact on employer-employee relationships.Research limitations/implications -This is a theoretical paper and still needs to be empirically verified. Originality/value -This is a conceptual paper contributing to the body of knowledge regarding corporate identity and relationship management. More specifically it fills a niche referring to communication with internal stakeholders regarding corporate identity with the aim of relationship management.

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Apart from historical and contextual factors complicating the mining industry, Lonmin Platinum’smanagement of employee relationships was further complicated by its diverse workforce ofapproximately 20 000 employees consisting of literates, semi-literates and illiterates. In addition,the company comprised five business units, each with their own corporate identity. Within thiscontext it was expected that Lonmin’s relationship with its employees would take some strain.While the relationship between corporate image and stakeholder management has been debated,the impact of symbolic corporate identity elements on specific relationship dimensions has not yetbeen investigated and is addressed in this article by means of the following research question:What is the relationship between employees’ perceptions of symbolic corporate identity elementsand employer-employee relationships at Lonmin Platinum? This study indicated a relationship between employees’ perceptions of how effectively the company reached it objectives, specifically a safe working environment, a healthy working environment,socio-economic empowerment and accountability, and the quality of its employee relationships.

Present-day South Africa is characterised by many societal and developmental issues, such as HIV awareness and prevention, child-headed households, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, violence and victim aid. However, it is widely acknowledged that government alone cannot address these issues effectively. The role of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in addressing social and development issues is increasingly emphasised. NPOs work at grass-roots level and they can therefore, on the whole, identify societal vulnerabilities and risks earlier than the government sector. However, due to the economic recession, NPOs operate in a competitive environment where an increasing number of NPOs rely on a small number of donors and other resources. NPOs should therefore differentiate themselves from the competition in order to obtain public legitimacy and funding. Corporate identity management is important for NPOs to fulfil their role in social welfare and thus contribute to disaster risk reduction. The exploratory nature of this study dictates a qualitative research approach. Semi-structured interviews with management of five NPOs in the social welfare sector were conducted in order to provide an answer to the study’s research question: ‘To what extent do NPOs in the social welfare sector practise corporate identity management, in order to prevent and address social welfare risks?’ The research found that NPOs do not realise the full potential of managing their corporate identities. NPOs therefore do not take advantage of a strong and distinct corporate identity which would allow them to ensure their ability to assess, address, reduce and/or alleviate vulnerabilities and disaster risks.

Purpose -This paper aims to determine whether language proficiency, race and education levels influence employees' perceptions of symbolic corporate identity elements of Lonmin Platinum, a mining company operating in the development context of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach -The nature of the endorsed symbolic corporate identity was determined by means of personal observations and semi-structured interviews with managers. To determine employees' perceptions a quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted with a stratified quota sample of 508 company employees. Questionnaires were divided between the five business units of the company, each with its own corporate identity. Facilitators (speaking a variety of languages) were used to assist semi-literate and illiterate employees. The data were analysed by means of basic descriptive statistics such as frequency tables and contingency tabulations. Findings -It seemed that race and educational level did not influence employees' perceptions of symbolic corporate identity elements. However, employees proficient in English, faired better when required to identify logos and company structures. This implies that when communication has a more informational character, Lonmin Platinum should consider communicating in different languages, suited to different educational levels.Research limitations/implications -The findings of this research could not necessary be generalised or be applicable to the whole mining sector. Originality/value -This research is the first of its kind within the complex mining and minerals context of South Africa and provides a framework from where future research can be conducted and explored, which would provide a knowledge base for the management and communication of an endorsed symbolic corporate identity to a third world context with diverse workforces.