Dis-identification in Organizations and Its Role in the Workplace

Abstract

Considerable theory and research has revealed that organizational identification (OID) benefits individuals and groups and that OID facilitates the development of long-term commitment and support towards an organization. Prior studies have highlighted the importance of an identification mechanism in the workplace, i.e., how employees define their self-concepts vis-à-vis their connections with their organizations. In contrast to previous research, we explore the process by which employees divorce their identity from that of their organization, i.e., defining who they are by what they are not. Interestingly, how individuals dis-identify themselves from the organization still remains unclear, and the concept of dis-identification in organization (DiO) has not drawn much academic attention. The paucity of research in this area leaves theories under-developed; thus, our research seeks to shed new light on the concept of DiO and understand its importance at work.An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted, recruiting 304 employees across eight organizations in Taiwan. Different from prior studies, this research stated that OID and DiO were neither heterogeneous nor independent constructs. Statistical evidence affirmed this statement further and explained that OID and DiO were inter-related constructs. Moreover, two DiO antecedents were discovered, including: person-organization fit and abusive supervision. Unlike in previous studies, DiO was not correlated with poor employee performance; rather, it was correlated with workplace deviance, an intention of quitting the job, and voice-extra-role-behaviour. Organizations are complex entities by their very nature. Whether an organization can continue, function and succeed may depend upon a series of organizational characteristics. An organization is like a social arrangement that pursues collective goals, controls its own performance, and has a boundary separating it from its environment. One such organizational characteristic is identification. With a better understanding of OID/DiO, managers and HR practitioners can better observe the influence of OID/DiO and develop policies to increase employees’ identification and decrease dis-identification. Ultimately, employers, employees and society will enjoy the benefits of better organizations, e.g., higher working morale, more performance output, stronger membership/cohesion, and lower turnover.De nombreuses théories et recherches ont montré que l’identification organisationnelle (IO) bénéficie à la fois aux individus et aux groupes, et qu’elle facilite le développement de l’engagement à long terme et du soutien envers l’organisation. Des études antérieures ont mis en évidence l’importance d’un mécanisme d’identification au travail, c’est-à-dire la façon dont les salariés définisse...

Navigating Ambivalence: Perceived Organizational Prestige–Support Discrepancy and Its Relation to Employee Cynicism and Silence

“…For N, we used participants’ responses to five items taken from Kreiner and Ashforth's () scale of organizational disidentification (α = .89; sample item: ‘This organization does shameful things’). As in prior research (e.g., Chang et al, ; Kreiner and Ashforth's, ), the scales were negatively and moderately correlated (r = –.34, p < .01).…”

Modified scales for organizational identification and organizational disidentification for the foodservice industry

“…Previous studies found that ODI was positively associated with intra-role conflict, negative affect, and cynicism ( Kreiner, 2002 ), person-organization fit and abusive supervision ( Chang et al, 2013 ) while negatively with organizational reputation, psychological contract fulfillment, negative affect, and individualism ( Kreiner, 2002 ). Disidentification may take multiple forms, including cynicism, humor, skepticism, and irony ( Costas and Fleming, 2009 ).…”

Gossip in the workplace and the implications for HR management: a study of gossip and its relationship to employee cynicism

“…Perhaps also, organisations struggling to survive may be more prone to negative gossip and ECN. Similarly, although JRG and NJG are found to have different relationships with ECN, we cannot assert whether the findings are applicable to other outcome variables, such as organisational identification and citizenship behaviour, which are found to be crucial in influencing organisational performance (Chang et al, 2013). Finally, Abraham (2000) indicates that cynicism may be related to personality, so we recommend future studies to consider personality factors, so that the knowledge of ECN may continue to be advanced.…”

“…For instance, when facing gossip such as false information, individuals may feel stressed and uncomfortable with their organisation (the location of the gossip) and, consequently, alienate themselves from the organisation. In addition, a recent study (Chang, Kuo, Su, & Taylor, 2013) has found that organisational dis-identification (a type of alienation) is correlated with workplace deviance. This finding offers a preliminary but crucial clue to supporting the gossip -cynicism relationship.…”

“…Specifically, large organisations (with more than 1000 staff) received 50 copies, medium organisations (with 100 to 1000 staff) received 20 copies and small organisations (with less than 100 staff) received 10 copies. Authors dispatched all the questionnaires to the HR managers of each company and these managers then distributed copies to their employees using the snowball sampling technique (a similar technique has been adopted by Chang et al, 2013).…”