Corporate Mythology How Telling Stories in the Workplace Develops an Organization’s Culture

Abstract

This dissertation asks how myths and stories, often thought of as relics of the past, continue to shape the living cultures of organizations today. By comparing the leadership of Augustus, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs, I explore how their stories became more than personal histories; they grew into cultural frameworks that guided the identity of their communities, from empires to corporations. I draw on Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, Mircea Eliade’s insights into the sacred, James Hillman’s archetypal psychology, and Marie Louise von Franz’s treatment of fairy tales to show how mythmaking transforms the story of a founder individual to the story of a collective. The case studies highlight Augustus’s political consolidation, Disney’s cultural imagination, and Jobs’s technological vision as three examples of how leaders craft enduring myths.

From this analysis, I identify five recurring categories in myth-making: foundational struggles, tools of influence, iconography, the process of myth-making, and enduring legacy. I also consider how fairy tales and counter-narratives complicate these myths, offering critiques and alternative perspectives. By combining mythological analysis with modern organizational theories from Edgar Schein, Nancy Adler, and Stephen Denning, I argue that storytelling is not simply ornament but a powerful tool for cultural cohesion, leadership, and change.

This dissertation thus presents foundational myths as living instruments that enable organizations to navigate uncertainty and transformation. This work shows how leaders can consciously shape stories that not only secure their legacy but also create communities with lasting meaning.