Decoding the Code: Multimodal Workplace Attire and Corporate Identity Construction on Goldman Sachs’ Instagram

Abstract

This single case study examined how Goldman Sachs (GS) curates workplace attire representations on its official Instagram account to construct corporate identity following a dress code policy change in March 2019. Using multimodal content analysis (MMCA), a systematic methodology rooted in multimodal theory and semiotics, 126 images posted between March 2019 and October 2023 were analyzed. Images were coded for visual salience, multimodal attire, professional ensemble, and authenticity. Four thematic patterns were constructed: visualizing tradition through dress, constructing power multimodally, styling the details as semiotic expression, and performing authenticity in corporate storytelling. Findings demonstrate how organizations strategically curate workplace representations in mediated spaces to signal corporate identity. This study contributes to research on clothing semiotics, corporate identity construction, and multimodal organizational communication while advancing MMCA as a method for analyzing professional communication in digital environments.

Keywords

multimodal communication corporate dress codes corporate identity construction social media business communication

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