Integrative Tests of a Multidimensional Model of Organizational Identification

Organizational identification works on the cognitive, affective, and evaluative levels. The present study, like previous research, conceptualizes identification as a multidimensional concept. We test a model of identification developed in experimental settings using an empirical study carried out in three Romanian organizations. We investigate relevant antecedents and consequences of cognitive, affective, and evaluative identification for organizations. The findings shed light on the conditions in which the impact of cognitive identification on organizational outcomes is mediated by the affective attachment to the organization. They also indicate that evaluative identification has a smaller impact in organizational settings than experimental studies have previously shown, contradicting predictions of the self-enhancement hypothesis. Based on these findings, we draw out the practical implications for effective strategies targeting organizational identification enhancement.