American workers' organizational identification with a Japanese multinational manufacturer

Abstract

Organizational identification has been found to be associated with workers' improved performance (Benkhoff 1997), low turnover rate (Wegge, van Dick, Fisher, Wecking and Moltzen 2006) and workers' job satisfaction (van Knippenberg and van Schie 2000). With globalization and increased numbers of multinational corporations (MNCs), the organizational identification process in an MNC needs to be further investigated. This study examined the organizational identification and culture in a Japanese MNC located in Southeastern United States. One hundred and nineteen American workers participated in the survey that measured workers' levels of organizational identification and ethnocentrism as well as their perceptions regarding management practices, management communication and dimensions of organizational cultures (i.e. people vs. work orientation, open vs. closed system and loose vs. tight control). The results indicated that workers' organizational identification is associated with evaluation process, workers' autonomy and people orientation as an organizational culture.

Keywords::

• management communication
• multinational corporations
• organizational culture
• organizational identification

Notes

^1. Through factor analyses, some of the items designed to measure a dimension of organizational subculture (normative vs. pragmatic values) were combined with the tight versus loose control.

^2. For instance, as for the measures of management communication and practices (information sharing, evaluation, training and power; Vandenberg et al. 2002), five to eight items with highest factor loading were selected and included in the study.