Explaining Variation in Organizational Identity Categorization

Greta Hsu () and Kimberly D. Elsbach ()
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Greta Hsu: Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616
Kimberly D. Elsbach: Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616

Organization Science, 2013, vol. 24, issue 4, 996-1013

Abstract: In explaining why constituent groups often vary in their perceptions of the most salient aspects of an organization’s identity, existing research has drawn, almost exclusively, on social identity research and self-enhancement motives. This research suggests that when different organizational identity categorizations are enhancing to some groups but not others, variation in organizational identity perceptions arises. In this paper, by contrast, we explore the role that unmotivated or “spontaneous” cognitions may play in influencing variation in constituents’ organizational identity categorizations. Based on data from a study of U.S. business school constituents, we develop a dual-path model through which both motivated and spontaneous processes influence the different organizational identity categorizations constituent groups find to be most salient. We discuss both the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Keywords: organizational identity and identification; organization and management theory; qualitative analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:24:y:2013:i:4:p:996-1013

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