Identification through meaning-making: identity enactment towards organizational commitment

ABSTRACT

This article explores the role of self-definition in identity enactment leading to organizational commitment. The current research employs an in-depth qualitative analysis to uncover the processes through which employees’ self-definitions evolve in the identification process. Informants for this project are selected from the members of a manufacturing organization in Australia. The findings show that employees’ desire to develop meaningful self-definition in relation to their profession or/and organization leads to a strong identification. Furthermore, the current research explores that strong identification provides employees with the meaning required for identity enactment, which, in turn, results in the enhancement of their commitment to the organization. This article offers a significant contribution to the literature in Human Resource Development (HRD) by illuminating the mechanisms through which employees’ identities are shaped in relation to their profession and organization. HRD professionals can apply the findings to enhance employee commitment. Of central importance to HRD practitioners is the finding that employees will develop desirable organizational commitment if they can develop a meaningful identity with their profession within the organization. Thus, HRD practitioners should focus on developing practices that provide meanings through which employees can create a sense of belonging to their organization.

KEYWORDS:

• Organizational commitment
• identification
• meaning-making
• self-definition
• identity
• human resource development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).