Navigating multiple institutional logics: unveiling organizational identity of Polish Catholic universities through strategic documents analysis

This study investigates the relationship between institutional logics and organizational identity in Catholic universities, exploring how these institutions navigate the competing demands of religious, state, scientific, and market logics. Using content analysis of strategic documents from four Polish universities – the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow, the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, and the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow – the analysis explores four identity configurations: tableau-like, tapestry-like, relief-like, and mosaic-like. These configurations reflect varying levels of integration and the significance of religious logic within their organizational structures. The findings reveal that high integration fosters cohesive identities but may heighten tensions between tradition and adaptation, while low integration minimizes conflict yet risks diluting religious identity. The role of religious logic in shaping organizational identity differs across the universities, ranging from a central guiding force to a more symbolic or secondary role, shaped by historical and socio-political contexts. This research contributes to the discourse on faith-based institutions by elucidating how Catholic universities address institutional complexity and maintain their distinctive missions, offering insights applicable to similar institutions globally.