Explicating Place Identity Attitudes, Place Architecture Attitudes, and Identification Triad Theory

Abstract

Drawing on theories of place identity and social identity, this study explicitly aims to make a theoretical contribution vis-à-vis the internal-stakeholders’ cognitions of place identity attitudes, place architecture attitudes, and identification triad. The research was undertaken within a business school at a time when that school had acquired a new business school building with a distinctive internal architecture. The resultant theoretical framework was based on 309 stakeholder responses, while covariance-based structural equation was used for the data analysis. The findings from the stakeholders' perspectives identify the main components of place identity attitudes and place architecture attitudes. The findings also reveal the importance of place identity attitudes in enhancing place architecture attitudes and stakeholders’ identification. According to the results, there is a relationship between place identity attitudes and identification; corporate visual identity and physical structure and stimuli; and communication and place architecture attitudes. Moreover, certain key implications for place managers and researchers are highlighted.