Communication and Social Identity Theory: Existing and Potential Connections in Organizational Identification Research

Abstract

This essay builds on the growing, but underdeveloped, role of communication in work based on Social Identity Theory (SIT) as it relates to identity and identification in the organization. Five existing areas of connection between communication and SIT in organizational identification research are documented and assessed. These include salience of dual/multiple identifications, computer-mediated communication and virtual work related to identification, relationally focused work identities, organizational-level identities, and disidentification and related forms.

Keywords:

• Communication
• Disidentification
• Dual Identification
• Identification
• Organization
• Social Identity Theory

A previous version of this article was presented at the August, 2003, Academy of Management Convention in Seattle, WA. I would like to thank Loril Gossett, Michael Pratt, and several anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this article.

Notes

This manuscript was accepted by the previous editor, Professor Jim L. Query.