Loyalties divided or identities as resources? The role of external relational identification in facilitating socialization

PurposeAlthough research regarding socialization processes recognizes the importance of organizational identification for newcomer adjustment outcomes, it has less frequently considered the impact of newcomer identification with targets external to the organization. This study aims to investigate whether relational identification with identities external to the organization can be beneficial for socialization outcomes, a relationship the authors describe through the conservation of resources theory. At a time when newcomers are expending resources and may not have a support system inside the organization, important identities may foster success through building a resource base of support available to the newcomer.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted with newcomers, both groups responded to multi-wave surveys. The authors conducted an initial study with undergraduate students (n = 45) in their first semester of college and a second study with working individuals employed full time in their first year in a new organization (n = 148).FindingsRelational identification with identities external to the organization is positively related to job engagement through the dual mediation of social support and psychological well-being. The results indicate that these external resources encourage well-being and free newcomers to invest in becoming physically, emotionally and cognitively engaged with their new jobs.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that organizations may wish to take care in helping newcomers maintain strong relational identities outside the organization while becoming connected with their new organization.Originality/valueThe findings suggest that external relational identities are a neglected and important element influencing the socialization process.

Effect of ethical nurse leaders on subordinates during pandemics

Background: As caring in times of pandemics becomes extremely stressful, the volume and intensity of nursing work witness significant increase. Ethical practices are therefore even more important for nurses and nurse leaders during this special period. Research aim: The aim was to explore the relationship between ethical nurse leaders and nurses’ task mastery and ostracism, and to examine the mediating role of relational identification in this relationship during pandemics. Research design: Based on social exchange theory, this study tests a theoretical model proposing that ethical nurse leaders can increase nurses’ task mastery and reduce their ostracism by improving their relational identification with leaders during pandemics. Participants and research context: A multilevel and multi-wave field study using data from 172 nurses from 45 departments of two comprehensive hospitals was performed from April to August 2020 to test proposed hypotheses. Ethical considerations: We received formal approvals from the ethical committee of the hospital where we conducted this study before the data collection. Results: Ethical nurse leaders can indeed increase nurses’ task mastery and reduce their ostracism during the pandemic period; furthermore, nurses’ identification with their leaders mediates these relationships. We find that ethical leadership plays an even more important role in improving nurses’ task mastery and reducing their ostracism that may be facilitated by pandemics this special time. Nurses will become more identified with their leaders when they are treated by ethical ways. Discussion: The study tries to advance our understanding of the important role of ethical leadership in nurse management literature and provide useful suggestions for healthcare institutions, nurse leaders, and nurses during pandemics. Conclusion: Theoretical contributions and practical implications of our findings are discussed. Specifically, we suggest that healthcare institutions cultivate ethical nurse leaders to facilitate nurses’ relational identification, which in turn will positively influence work outcomes.

Increasing the efficiency of business process through authentic leaders and follower's attitude

PurposeOrganizations take a more oriented approach to the management of business processes since business processes are core elements of organizational performance. The purpose of this study is to bridge certain knowledge, theoretical, literature and contextual gaps that have not yet been addressed, in line with the organizational approach. The current study is also carried out in order to satisfy the needs of the industry for sustainable development that lead to economic prosperity in the country.Design/methodology/approachPositivism research philosophy was espoused followed through a deductive approach. A structured questionnaire was used in order to collect the data from the employees working in public-sector organizations with a purposive sampling technique. In total, 364 respondents’ data were analyzed by using Analysis of a Moment Structures guidelines and tested the sequential path accordingly.FindingsThe results suggested that authentic leadership through sequential mediation of relational identification and positive emotions had a significant impact on employee engagement. Overall, three hypotheses were formulated on the basis of literature, and all hypotheses were supported.Research limitations/implicationsThe first significant limitation is the use of a single source of information. All variables (authentic leadership, employee engagement, gratitude, happiness and compassion and relational identification) were asked to be reported to individuals. In addition, the current study took only three positive emotions (gratitude, happiness and compassion). There are, however, a number of other emotions that can be taken to identify the relationship between authentic leadership and employee attitude.Originality/valueThe plethora of research seeks to identify mechanisms that can overcome the challenge of employee engagement in the organizational sphere. To this end, organizations are continually identifying and implementing strategies to enhance employee engagement. Recently, the adoption of a bottom-up approach identified as a potential contributor to increasing employee engagement. It has also meant that authentic leadership is the best source of support for a bottom-up approach. However, limited research has been identified in relation to authentic leadership and positive employee emotions.

On the identity dynamics of police legitimacy and public cooperation among a general population and a London street population

Social identity is a core aspect of procedural justice theory, which predicts that fair treatment at the hands of power holders such as police expresses, communicates and generates feelings of inclusion, status and belonging within salient social categories. In turn, a sense of shared group membership with power-holders, with police officers as powerful symbolic representatives of “law-abiding society”, engenders trust, legitimacy and cooperation. Yet, this aspect of the theory is rarely explicitly considered in empirical research. Moreover, the theory rests on the under-examined assumption that the police represent one fixed and stable superordinate group, including the often marginalised people with whom they interact, and that it is only superordinate identification that is important to legitimacy and cooperation. In this paper we present results from two UK-based studies that explore the identity dynamics of procedural justice theory. We reason that the police represent not only that the ‘law-abiding, national citizen’ superordinate group, but also a symbol of order/conflict and a range of connected social categories that can generate relational identification. First, we use a general population sample to show that relational identification with police, as well as identification as a ‘law-abiding citizen’, mediate some of association between procedural justice and legitimacy and are both stronger predictors of cooperation than legitimacy. Second, a sample of people living on the streets of London is used to explore these same relationships among a highly marginalised group for whom the police might represent a salient outgroup. We find that relational and superordinate identification are both strong positive predictors of cooperation, while legitimacy is not. These results have important implications for our understanding of both police legitimacy and public cooperation, as well as the extent to which police activity can serve to include—or exclude—members of the public.

Will ‘we’ continue to exercise? The associations between group identification, identity leadership, and relational identification on group exercise class adherence

The present study sought to provide support for the roles of both the social identity approach (group identification and identity leadership) and relational identification in adherence to group exercise classes. One hundred and twenty U.K. based group exercise class attendees completed an online survey in a cross-sectional design. Group identification, perceptions of identity leadership behaviour, and relational identification were not significantly associated with length of class attendance. However, both identity leadership behaviour of the class instructor and ingroup affect (measured as an element of multi-dimensional group identification), were significantly associated with expected likelihood of continued class participation. For every 1 unit increase in the identity leadership and in-group affect measures respectively, participants were 1.9 and 2.0 times more likely to be ‘at or near 100%’ likely to continue vs not. Social identity variables were not associated with how long exercisers had been attending class, but identity leadership and ingroup affect are positive influencers of expected future adherence. Further research into the social identity approach and identity leadership behaviour regards exercise class attendance tenure vs volume is warranted and is likely to benefit from the use of multi-dimensional group identification measures.