Communication and Member Disengagement in Planned Organizational Exit

Abstract

The processes by which members prepare to exit organizations have received little attention in socialization research. This study investigates an important area of organizational exits—members' planned exit—in which the time of exit is predetermined at entry. Utilizing 31 interviews with departing sorority members at two universities, we examine communication and organizational identification as members disengage. The data and resulting Model of Planned Organizational Exit demonstrate that members transition across three substages—Focus on the Future, Focus on the Present, and Focus on the Past and Future—characterized by different critical incidents, participation, communication between members, and anticipatory deidentification.

Keywords:

• Deidentification
• Identification
• Organizational Exit/departure
• Organizational Socialization

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Courtney Wong Davis

Courtney Wong Davis is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Karen Kroman Myers

Karen Kroman Myers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at University of California, Santa Barbara.