infonet-economy

This paper develops a model of collective organizational identification for the work-unitlevel. Following Chen and colleagues’ (2004) procedure for validating collective constructs, we first describe the theoretical development process of a collective perception of organizational identification. In a second step, we extend our understanding of the theoretical construct by hypothesizing a nomological net of potential antecedents and outcomes. In a third step, the theoretical model of collective identification is empirically tested. We conducted a longitudinal survey study, gathering data at three different points in time. The data was collected from 26 different country locations of a multinational company. The study sample comprised an average number of 2,355 employees nested within 145 work units. The empirical analysis showed that there exists a reliable and valid construct of collective identification that is different from related constructs (i.e., collective commitment, collective identity). Further, the results of the hypotheses tests confirmed all relationships proposed in the nomological net. Thus, we could show that a charismatic leadership climate fosters the identity strength within a work unit, which in turn leads to an enhanced collective identification. Concerning the outcomes of collective identification, we could empirically demonstrate that the construct has a positive effect on collective organizational commitment, which in turn reduces the collective turnover intention of the employees. The article concludes with theoretical implications, suggestions for practitioners, study limitations and future research directions.