•If strategic orientation exists, so could strategic disorientation.•Complexity theory is useful to explore the relationship between orientation and disorientation.•The notion of corporate identity disorientation is introduced.•Corporate identity disorientation may not be wholly negative, possible benefits are discussed.•Negatives of corporate identity orientation are also discussed. The importance of corporate identity to organizations is increasing, which has led to the conceptualisation of corporate identity orientation. This paper challenges existing thinking by suggesting that if corporate identity orientation exists, so could corporate identity disorientation. Using a complexity theory perspective this conceptual paper explores how orientation/disorientation could emerge, and how the two could be related. The paper concludes that a combination of orientation and disorientation could be beneficial for corporate identity development, and that disorientation need not be wholly negative. This is relevant because the environment organizations find themselves in increasingly causes identity disorientation, so exploring this further helps address this crucial issue. As such, this paper opens new directions for researchers to look at corporate identity development, and also for practitioners to embrace elements of disorientation and how it may help unlock new opportunities.