Organizational Images and Member Identification

Abstract

We develop a model to explain how images of one's work organization shape the strength of his or her identification with the organization. We focus on two key organizational images: one based on what a member believes is distinctive, central, and enduring about his or her organization and one based on a member's beliefs about what outsiders think about the organization. According to the model, members assess the attractiveness of these images by how well the image preserves the continuity of their self-concept, provides distinctiveness, and enhances self-esteem. The model leads to a number of propositions about how organizational identification affects members' patterns of social interaction.' Members vary in how much they identify with their work organization. When they identify strongly with the organization, the attributes they use to define the organization also define them. Organizations affect their members through this identification process, as shown by the comments of a 3M salesman, quoted in Garbett (1988: 2): I found out today that it is a lot easier being a salesman for 3M than for a little jobber no one has ever heard of. When you don't have to waste time justifying your existence or explaining why you are here, it gives you a certain amount of self-assurance. And, I discovered I came across warmer and friendlier. It made me feel good and enthusiastic to be "somebody" for a change.

Nurturing the spirit at work: Impact on work unit performance

“…Thus, a work unit that enables one's spiritual identity can energize the group. Further, others have suggested that belonging to a social group, i.e., to an organization, shapes one's self-concept (Ashforth & Mael, 1989;Dutton et al, 1994;Kramer, 1991;Tajfel & Turner, 1985). Individuals' identities are formed in part by how they believe others view the work unit or organization to which they belong (Dutton & Dukerich, 1991).…”

Conexão Social Intraorganizacional, Suporte no Trabalho e Identificação Organizacional

“…Essa associação é interessante porque reforça o argumento de que recursos de tarefa (e.g., autonomia encontrada em cargos acima do operacional) operam como recompensas ao indivíduo e, assim, contribuem à identificação (Eisenberger, Aselage, Sucharski, & Jones, 2004). Cabe destacar ainda que a variável tempo de empresa, ao contrário do afirmado por Dutton et al (1994), não se mostrou associada à identificação. Os Modelos 2, 3 e 4 mostram que a inserção das variáveis suporte da organização, suporte do chefe e dos colegas eleva o poder de explicação comparado às variáveis de controle, de um R 2 Ajustado = 0,05 para 0,33.…”

“…A avaliação de que colegas se preocupam com os valores e sentimentos do indivíduo no trabalho, bem como de que chefe e organização constantemente consideram o seu bem-estar, contribui para criação de imagens de unicidade (Dutton et al, 1994). Assim, a intensidade de suporte social dado pela organização contribui diretamente para identificação com a própria organização.…”

“…A relação desse tipo de laço com a identificação amplia a discussão apresentada pela literatura clássica e mais sedimentada sobre identificação (e.g., Dutton et al, 1994;Mael & Ashforth, 1992). Mael e Ashforth (1992), por exemplo, destacam o peso que se tem dado ao conjunto de características da própria organização.…”

Thinking about the same things differently: Examining perceptions of a non-profit community sport organisation

“…The first stream of research focuses on the production, projection and embodiment of identity at a macro-organisation level (Gioia, Schultz, & Corley, 2000;Gioia & Thomas, 1996;Parent & Deephouse, 2007). This stream of research typically focuses on employees or former employees of organisations that have intimate knowledge of the intra-organisational environment (Dutton, Dukerich, & Harquail, 1994;Elsbach, 2003;Kreiner & Ashforth, 2004). The second stream of researchdrawn from marketing -explicitly focuses on how an organisation is perceived by its external audience (Bhattacharya & Elsbach, 2002;Elsbach & Bhattacharya, 2001;Lock & Filo, 2012).…”