Abstract

The present study based on the conceptual discrimination of organizational identification from both organizational commitment and organizational internalization. Organizational identification was conceptualized as perceptions of common fate between the individual and the organization, as suggested by the social identity theory. Responses to the self-administered questionnaire measuring antecedent variables, organizational identification, organizational commitment, and organizational internalization were collected from 513 white-collar workers of the Korean large corporations, and analyzed by an exploratory factor analysis and reliability, content validity analysis. All items in questionnaire consisted of 7-point Likert-type scales. To identify the antecedent variables and consequents of organizational identification, an analysis of covariance structure were performed two stages. A model search was first conduct 431 white-collar workers of the Korean large corporations, and the finally identified model was confirmed in a cross-validation study with 270 white-collar workers of the Korean large corporations. Major results from the structural equation analysis were follows. First the following variables were identified as the antecedents of organizational identification: 1) considerate leadership measured by leader-member relation, leader's comprehension of subordinate's task, leader's consideration of subordinate's career development, 2) significance of working department, 3) individual's organizational socialization experience measured by met expectation, favorable attitudes of peer group, 4) organizational characteristics measured by organizational prestige, organizational distinctiveness, inter-organizational competition, 5) job characteristics measured by job satisfaction, and job significance. Second, organizational identification directly influenced on organizational commitment