The Relationship Between Employees’ Intra-group Identities and Their Contribution to Small Group Activities: The Role of Subgroup Membership/Non-membership

Abstract

Introduction. Much research is focused on the relationship between employees’ organizational identifications and various forms of their organizational behavior that are not directly related to their work responsibilities. However, previous research efforts have not taken into account certain aspects of employees’ identifications and their behaviour in the context of groups. The present study addresses the relationship between employees’ group, microgroup, and interpersonal identities by three components (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) and their contribution to production group activities depending on their membership/non-membership in informal subgroups.
 Methods. The study employed (a) the formalized algorithm for identifying informal subgroups in groups, (b) the interpersonal identity questionnaire, (c) the microgroup and group identity questionnaire, and (d) the contribution to group activities scale. All these techniques were embodied in the Group Profile–Universal computer program. The authors used this computer technique to conduct a survey of study participants and to carry out the primary data processing.
 Results. Microgroup affective identities of subgroup members correlate positively with their contribution to group activities. Group cognitive and affective identities and interpersonal affective identities of subgroup non-members are positively related to their contribution to group activities. Additionally, the study demonstrated two nonlinear (quadratic) relationships between interpersonal and group behavioural identities of subgroup members and their contribution to group activities; this relationship was more significant for group identities, than for interpersonal ones.
 Discussion. The authors interpret the relationship between employees’ identities and their contribution to group activities depending on their membership/non-membership in informal subgroups.
 Conclusion. The authors draw conclusions about the characteristics of the relationship examined in the present study. Further research will be required to investigate intermediate variables in the relationship between the levels and components of identities on the one hand, and the contribution to group/subgroup activities on the other.