Organizational identification is a cognitive connection between a person and an organization, whereas disidentification is a sense of separateness. In this paper, the author addresses these two issues and explains the attitudes and behaviors of people who identify or disidentify with organizations.
Organizational identification is broadly defined as a cognitive connection between a person and an organization whereas disidentification is analogously defined as a sense of separateness. To take a few real world examples of these phenomena, through its innovative social responsibility practices, Ben and Jerry's attempt to foster a sense of identification among many consumers. Conversely, stakeholders' negative reactions to Exxon after the oil spill or toward Nike after allegations of sweatshop operations suggest that people also disidentify with organizations. As the following examples suggest, social marketers also attempt to build identification and/or disidentification as part of their strategies:
In a campaign against tobacco giant Philip Morris, the California Anti-tobacco Coalition has depicted the "Marlboro Man" in billboards with the caption, "Bob, I've got emphysema." Through their television advertising and website links, organizations such as getoutraged.com are similarly trying to promote separation from Philip Morris. These examples illustrate how organizations such as the California Anti-tobacco Coalition and getoutraged.com are trying to influence consumers to disidentify with Philip Morris. |
