Changes in Organizational and Professional Identifications during Socialization of Newcomers

Abstract

This study examines changes in organizational and professional identifications during the early socialization of newcomers. Little is known about how social identifications change and the factors that cause these changes. This research tries to fill this significant gap in theory since research related to the early socialization of newcomers is rare. This longitudinal research uses data from 365 newcomers in an Indian IT services organization over their early-socialization journey consisting of organizational orientation and technical training. The changes in the social identifications as well as the relationships with perceived organizational prestige and professional motivation are explored through this data. Using hierarchical regressions this study shows that increase in perceived organizational prestige is related to increase in organizational identification, professional motivation is positively related to changes in professional identification and increase in organizational identification is related to an increase in professional identification. These findings provide new insights to researchers on the dynamics of multiple social identifications, while informing practitioners about improving identification through higher focus on mentoring and organization-specific activities during the socialization of newcomers.