Social identity approach
in understanding
of organization
and leadership
Prof. Natalia Ivanova,
Theory of organization PAD
HSE Moscow
sinec@inbox.ru
1
Civil service: needs and problems
Needs in professionals but strong fluctuation people
Needs in personnel which is involved to
organizational functioning but problems with
receiving of professional values, statuses and roles
Needs in optimal interaction but distrust of people
Needs in good image but problems with
communication, PR, information exchange process
etc.
Needs and problems
Needs in good quality of civil service
but problems with leaders and
personnel which is able to keep
important values of professional
community and organization, attract
people, build efficient relationships etc.
3
How psychology can help?
+
Potential space: creativity
Personality: stimulation, development
Interactions: communication
Professional features: efficiency
Social identity studies –
important recourse for
1
development of professional activity in
organization
2
psychological understanding of
organization
3
realizing the management paradigms
in organization
4
realizing models of leadership etc.
Social Identity Approach (SIA)
The self is context-dependent and can be defined at
different levels of abstraction: personal, social,
organisational, professional, civil, national, human
Each person determines his place in the social
environment by means of comparing himself to the
others and by determining who he is and who
belongs to his community and who does not
Social Identity Approach (SIA)
Social Identity is considered to be a part of
individual self-concept, which arises from the
knowledge of an individual about his own belonging
to social group or groups and axiological and
emotional demonstration of this belonging (H. Tajfel)
Main motivations of identification: self-esteem
(Hogg M., Abrams)
Others motives: self-actualization, self-defense (N.
Lebedeva, N. Ivanova)
SI is a basis for personal adopting of the group
values and roles
Social Identity Approach (SIA)
Explores: The consequences of
different forms of identity for personal
motivation, behaviour and interaction
Explores: The consequence of identity
for organizations functioning and
leadership
Shared social identity is salient:
we see ourselves as categorically interchangeable
with other ingroup members (as defined by context)
we influence, and are influenced by, ingroup
members (to the extent that we or they are
representative of that group)
we enhance self-esteem (collectively self-actualize)
by working collaboratively towards shared ingroup
goals
Implications for organisational functioning
(A. Haslam, etc.)
Situations/ structures that emphasise shared
identity will facilitate organisational
functioning
Situations/ structures that highlight nonshared identities will impair organisational
functioning
Implications for leadership (A. Haslam, etc.)
•
Leadership is not an individual quality but the outcome of a
group process
Leaders are more effective the more they are perceived to
represent a social identity that we share.
Things that set (or are perceived to set) leaders apart from the
group can undermine the effectiveness of their leadership.
With regard to management problems it may be said that too big
differences in identity of leaders and subordinates in some
parameters may undermine leadership and influence
peculiarities of functioning of an organization.
Social identity structure analysis (SISA)
(Ivanova, 2003, Povarenkov, 2004)
cognitive (self-definitions) + motivations + values
Basic
(B)
identity with
family, local
community, group
of friends + needs
of self-defense+
values of wellbeing, comfort
Individualpersonal
(IP)
personal, global,
family identity +
needs of
communications,
self-esteem +
values of
friendship,
communication,
culture
Professional
& affairs
(PA)
professional identity,
activity, statuses and
roles + need of selfactualization + values of
autonomy, professional
and personal
development
Implications SISA for professional activity and
organizational functioning
Phenomena of
social and
professional
identity
Professional
development and
deformation
Leadership
etc
Decision
making
process
Adaptation
and
communication
in organization
Implications for professional activity
and organizational functioning
Becoming
a professionals
Professionals
Professional identity
Professional development
Self-realization
Goals achievement
Values of professional
society
Marginals
Basic, personal identity
Worrying about self-defence
Self-interest
Conformism, careerism
Values of close group
(Ivanova, 2003, Povarenkov,
2004, Mishenko,2005)
Professional and social development of female
managers (Kulaeva, 2009)
Social identity is a factor of sharing leaders identity and
communication in organization
Sharing of identity with people in organization
Sharing of leaders identity
Identity type
Staff
Leaders
Basic
+
?
Professional
& Affairs
+ -?
+
Female managers with PA identity more
often shared leaders identity (even in
hair-do, style etc.)
Female managers with B identity have
problems in identification with leaders;
they more often shared identity with
small group of personal
Professional and social development of female
managers (Kulaeva, 2009)
Social identity is a factor of sharing leaders identity and
communication in organization
Communication in organization
Identity type
Type
Position
Basic
Personal
Close
Professional
& Affairs
Prof
Influence
Female managers with PA identity aspire
to professional communication, selfrealization, position of influence for
professional goals achievement
Female managers with B identity aspire
to personal and warm communication
with close personal, self-defense
Transformation identity in organizational,
social changes (Rumyantseva, 2005)
Construct of social identity and personal features (Cattell test, 16PF )
as a factor of adaptation to the new conditions in organization
Professional Me significantly correlate with:
confidence L (r= 0,12),
Add Your Text
frankness N (r=0,12),
low self-control Q3 (r=0,15),
expressiveness F (r=-0,14),
submission Е (r=-0,15),
strain Q4 (r=-0,21).
Adaptation: Professional people close to hearts the problems in
organization.
Adaptation in the multicultural organization
(Mnatsakanyan, 2004)
Tendencies:
PA Good adaptation and communication with different
people in organization.
I and We in the new context.
IP and B (similar) Problems of adaptation; communications
with small group, fairs of cultural community.
I and We in the past context.
Conclusions
Organizations and leadership are more successful when
individuals cooperate to a greater degree taking into
account shared identity, and not interpersonal or
intergroup controversies.
Success of the common cause depends on to what extent
the personnel have formed the common SI
SIA lets us to have a look at the factors of improvement
of effectiveness of services of civil service from a new
angle, in the context of development of urgent projects
and for formation of necessary confidence of the
population to representatives of public authorities.
19
Chair of Theory organization
Research “Organizational development mechanisms”,
chapter: “SI of personnel as a factor of organizational
development”
Teaching Specialization “Consulting in HR services”
Publications Books and articles in Russian publicity and
journals
Thank You