Organizational Disidentification Research Articles

Being the Same and Being the Different Simultaneously: Identifying (or not) with the Organization

This paper analyzes the theoretical foundations for organizational disidentification and tests the validity of organizational disidentification in a structural equation model. Organizational disidentification is defined as (1) a cognitive separation between one's identity and the identity of an organization, and (2) a negative relational categorization of oneself and the organization (Elsbach & Bhattacharya, 2001: 397). In other words, defining oneself in terms of separateness or as different from the characteristics and values of the organization. Juxtaposing organizational identification and disidentification and differentiating their antecedents and consequences enhances our understanding how workers identify with or separate themselves from their organizations. Survey data strongly supported the hypothesized model implying that identification and disidentification are different constructs rather than two ends of a continuum, as suggested by Dukerich, Kramer and McLean Parks (1998). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Defining Who You Are By What You're Not: Organizational Disidentification and The National Rifle Association

Through two exploratory studies, we develop and test an introductory framework of “organizational disidentification.” Our first study explores the concept of organizational disidentification through a qualitative investigation of cognitive relationships with the National Rifle Association (NRA). Findings suggest that organizational disidentification is a self-perception based on: (1) a cognitive separation between one's identity and the organization's identity, and (2) a negative relational categorization of oneself and the organization (e.g., categorizations such as “rivals” or “enemies”). Organizational disidentification appears to be motivated by individuals' desires to both affirm positive distinctiveness and avoid negative distinctiveness by distancing themselves from incongruent values and negative stereotypes attributed to an organization. Our findings also suggest that organizational disidentification can lead individuals to take action (either volunteer work or voicing their opinion) as a result of their perceived separation from the organization's identity. Results of our second study”a large-scale survey of public attitudes about the NRA”provide support for this framework.