Organizational Identity and Employer Image: Towards a Unifying

Framework

I.      Background

II.    Information about the Journal Article

A.    Bibliographic Citation:

B.    Overview

C.    About the Authors

1.     Filip Lievens

2.     Greet Van Hoye

3.     Frederik Anseel

D.    Audience

E.     Impact

III.       Critical Review

A.    Introduction

B.    Method

C.    Results

D.    Discussion

IV.       Practical Application

 

 

I.      Background

 As of now, there are different internal and external factors that are affecting the entire

performance of each and every organization, company or firm in any part of the globe. One

of the most affected aspects is the vitality of human resource or labor force inside the

organization. Currently, human resource is already considered as the most important

resource of a company, because people are considered as the converter of different inputs

of the company in order to finish the finish product or service, together with the ever-

important, customer relations.

There are different studies that are focusing on the different important factors and aspects

that can help in order to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the human resource,

thus it varies from the different theories that focuses on the individual aspect, as well as

groups. There are different studies that pertain on the demand and perspective of the

employees that will help to improve their performance and later on the entire performance

and market position of their respective companies.

Organizational identity and employer image are considered as two of the most famous

theories and subjects that are being studies in connection with the human resource. In

recent years, organizational identity has received a lot of attention in both he practitioner

and academic literatures. There are different discipline such as marketing, organization

studies, strategy management, social and organizational psychology have examined as

well as discussed the issue from different research paradigms (Lievens & Hoye 2007, p.

S46).

Almost independently, employer branding has also receiving lots of attention as a specific

form of process of managing the corporate identities. This can be done by process of

creating an image of the organization, both inside and outside of a given firm (Lievens &

Hoye 2007, p. S48).

II.    Information about the Journal Article

A.   Bibliographic Citation:

Lievens, F, Hoye, G & Anseel, F 2007, ‘Organizational Identity and Employer Image:

Towards a Unifying Framework’, British Journal of Management, , vol. 18, pp. S45 – S59

B.   Overview

The study aims to bridge two research streams that have evolved relatively apart

from each other, namely the different research streams on the organizational identity as

well as n the employer branding or known as the employer image. The authors speculate

that the said factors are vital in order to examine which of the factors that are related with

the company outsiders or those applicants and company insiders or those employees are

directly or indirectly connected wit a given employer. The study used the instrumental

symbolic framework in order to study different factors that are related to both the employer

image and the organizational identity regarding the Belgian Army. The authors also used

two samples such as the samples of 258 applicants in the Army and the sample of 179

employees in the military. The result shows that both of the instrumental as well as

symbolic have perceived that image dimension that is being predicted the attraction of the

applicants to the Army. On the other hand, symbolic perceived identity dimensions best

predict the identification with the Army of the employees. Thus, it shows that that the

employees also associates importance to the assessment of the outsiders in the

organization or also known as the construed external image. The authors also discussed

the theoretical and practical implications for the process of managing the organizational

identity as well as image.

C.   About the Authors

 The article had been able to show the profile and background information of the authors:

1.    Filip Lievens

He received his PhD from Ghent University, Belgium and currently working as an

Associated Professors at the Department of Personnel Management and Work and

Organizational Psychology at the same University. He has already published over 50

articles in different areas of organizational attractiveness and alternative selection

procedures such as issues regarding assessment centers, situational judgment tests and

web-based assessment. All of his works or articles have been published in different

languages such as English, Dutch, French and Spanish. He has been a book review editor

for the International Journal of Selection and Assessment and current serves as an editorial

board member for six journals. Currently, he is the secretary for the Organizational

Psychology Division of the International Association for Applied Psychology, and has

received different awards such as SIOP Distinguished Early Career Award in 2006, and

Best Paper Award from the International Personnel Management Association in 2001.

2.    Greet Van Hoye

He received her PhD from Ghent University, Belgium and currently working as an Assistant

Professor at the Department of Personnel Management and Work and Organizational

Psychology at the same University. Her research interests include issues about

organizational attractiveness and applicant perceptions. She has already worked for

different articles and presentations at different international conferences and has published

in Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, International Journal of

Selection and Assessment and Journal of Business and Psychology.

3.    Frederik Anseel

He received his PhD from Ghent University, Belgium and working as an Assistant

Professor at the Department of Personnel Management and Work and Organizational

Psychology at the same university. His current research interests focuses on the

performance management issues in the organization. He has already presented works in

different international conferences and publishing articles in American Psychologist,

Applied Psychology: An International Review and Journal of Occupational and

Organizational Psychology.

The background information about the author of the article is very important due to the fact

that it serves as a basis for the readers to know if the authors or presenters of the ideas are

capable and knowledgeable enough to be trusted. Based on the information that have been

gathered as well as information that have been provided by the authors of the study, it can

be said that the authors of the study have the abilities and qualifications in order to present

facts and recommend new information about organizational identity and employer image.

1. D.   Audience

The authors did not mention the audience of the study but based on the description of the

British Journal of Management, they provide valuable outlet for research as well as

scholarship regarding management-oriented themes and topics. It focuses on publishing

articles regarding multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary natures and empirical research

about traditional disciplines and managerial disciplines (van Dick 2007). However, due to

the style of writing pertaining on the way the study was written and the flow of information

indicates that the study is dedicated to the colleagues or those people in the same

profession and interested in the said subject.

E.   Impact

 The study has a great impact on the field of management, particularly in the issue of

organizational identity and employer image. This can be seen in the number of studies that

have cited the said study. One of this is the study of Graeme Martin of Department of

Management, University of Glasgow, about the Driving Corporate Reputations and Brands

from the Inside: A Strategic Role and Strategic Dilemmas for HR?

III.   Critical Review

A.   Introduction

Introduction is considered as one of the most important parts of any research. This is due

to the fact that it gives the readers the background information regarding the subject as well

as other information that have been gathered from other important authors or researchers.

Thus, it will be important to use simple terms and understandable phrases that will help to

get and maintain the attention of the readers. In the case of the journal article, the author

had been able to use simple writing style in the beginning by relating the topic to the usual

everyday-life scenario.  The authors begin the introduction by offering a descriptive or

story-line, where in it connects the social situation like cocktail parties and reunions with the

organizational identity and employee image.

The introduction also shows a good flow of information, from the said story telling style, the

author had been able to inform the reader regarding the theories about the subject, and

then later on related it on the different ideas and conclusions that have studied by different

authors and researchers. As a result, the study had been able to shows the connection of

the present study with the prior study, and its importance in the field of management.

Aside from that the author also mentioned, tackled and analyzes theoretical background

about organizational identity and employee branding separately. Therefore, it can help the

reader to understand the said topics in separate and clear manner. In addition, the authors

also included and specified different past studies about the said two subjects that will serve

as a guide or further references for the readers. This includes aspects about the different

limitations of prior studies that helped the authors to mention the importance of their study

in the field of management. The authors also showed two important hypotheses.

However, one of the weaknesses or disadvantage of the study pertains on the part that

tackles the present study, where in there are some terminologies that was not mentioned in

the first parts of introduction, thus it will cause confusion for the readers, particularly those

who does not have that much background information about the topic. It will be a great help

if the author included part of the paper that will tackle on different terminologies that have

been mentioned in the entire paper.

B.   Method

The authors used two samples in order to test their hypotheses. The first one focuses on

the reaction of the employees towards the working environment or the entire policies, rules

and regulations of their employer, and the other focuses on the applicants in the military

regarding their impression about the employer. The main disadvantage of the study, is that

male and female ratio is not proportion, this is due to the fact that the male population is

more abundant in the said target respondents. However, the authors had been able to

describe the different details regarding their chose respondents or sampling

In terms of the measures, one of the primary disadvantage of the study is that it did

not mentioned the disadvantage of using semi-structured interviews as well as focus group

in prompting the employees of the military or the respondents to describe the Army as an

employer. This is due to the fact that semi-structured interview is a limited tool, due to the

fact that it is often difficult to compare or even aggregate across the individual (Davis 2003,

p. 282). Aside from that, the study also used he focus groups that also have its own share

of flaws that was not mentioned. This is important due to the fact that it can affect the entire

result of the project. As we all know, focus group is in great needs of control in terms of

communication. This is due to the fact that it has a greater risk of obtaining misleading

information that can compromise the effectiveness of the communication process (Austin &

Pinkleton 2006, p. 150). This is important due to the fact that the study is studying a

sensitive issue which tackles on the effectiveness of the management of the employer that

can limit the reaction of the employees.

Another advantage is that the measurement of the study can help to ensure that the

result of or the entire project is free from measurement or detection bias due to the fact that

the researchers are using different gadgets and tools for recording such as audio-tapping

and transcribing in order to record the answers or responses of the respondents. Aside

from that, it can also help the researchers to easily access and retrieved data or information

regarding the reactions of the respondents when they need it.

Aside from that the study also used different scales that have been used by previous

studies by different authors such as the scale of Lievens, Van Hoye and Schereurs in 2005

in order to measure the symbolic attribute of the Army. The authors also show and explain

the different changes that happened regarding the examination of the psychometric

properties of the measures by the process of checking the different internal consistencies

of the scales.

C.   Results

In order show the result of the study, the authors used the descriptive statistics that

describes the basic features of the data that have been gathered from the research. This

had helped the author to show the result of the study in simple yet clear and concise way.

The authors use graphical, tabular and summary presentation in order to show the result of

the study. This enables the readers to have an overview about the result, without reading

the discussion. This is important due to the fact that there are some readers who are not

that interested in reading as well as understanding long text, that’s why they rely greatly on

the graphical presentation of the results as well as discussion.

The result shows that the in general, the applicants have higher expectations than the

employees. In addition, it had been found out that the own perception of the employees

regarding the image dimensions are lower than their perceptions of what others think

regarding the Army.

The said result is important in the area of management due to the fact that the image of the

employer has a great impact over the selection and hiring process of the company, at the

same time it has a great impact over retention of great employees as an asset, that can

affect the entire performance and position of the company in the given industry or market.

Thus, the result shows that it had been able to prove the hypothesis that has been

mentioned in the first parts of the paper. As a result, most of the correlations between the

perceived images dimension o the participants as well as their attractiveness to the Army

were significantly different from zero.

Another advantage of the study is that it had been able to test and retest the hypothesis in

order to ensure the result by the use of hierarchical regression analysis. Hierarchical

regression is used in order to evaluate and analyze the relationship between a given set of

independent variables as well as dependent variable, controlling for or taking into account

the different impact of set of independent variable towards the dependent variable. Thus, in

the said type of analysis, different independent variables are entered into the analysis by a

sequence blocks or even groups that may contain one or more variables (University of

Texas 2006). The main advantage of the said analysis is that it helped the authors to relate

the impact of the two important issues in terms of demographics or group of people,

primarily its impact on the applicants and employees.

D.   Discussion

The discussion of the study started by recalling the central or core theme of the research

and that is to examine if the instrumental-symbolic conceptualization from the employer

branding literature that might help to serve as a unifying framework for the process of

delineating the different factors that are connected to the identification of the employees,

together with the attractions of the applicants. Thus, the study had been able to integrate

the two research streams that have evolved apart from each other, that are: organizational

identity and employer image.

The main advantage of the study is that it had been able to show and explain the

different findings and results of the study and connected it with the current literatures or

studies. It had also been able to show the relationship of the results to other conclusions

and results of the study of other authors, and shows how it is connected or how it

supported the idea of other authors. However, the main disadvantage is that the author did

not clearly mention the research gaps that have been filled by the study, and how it can

affect or impact future studies by other authors or colleagues.

On the other hand, the authors clearly stated information or data that are not were

not tackled in the study, but important or vital to the field of management. They had been

able to recommend different future subjects and aspects that must be analyzed and

researched, together with the different frameworks that must be developed in order to

achieve the future goals. Above all, the study had been able to show its limitations in terms

of the data that were used as well as the methodology that were applied. This gives the

idea regarding its impact over the result of the study.

 

IV.  Practical Application

The study shows the great influence of employer image and organizational identity in

the entire performance as well as management process of companies. Primarily, the said

two aspects help companies to have a great connection with the employees as well as

those prospects applicants or talents outside the organization.

Aside from that it also has a great impact over the perspective, loyalty and trust of

the customers and other stakeholders of any organizations or company in different parts of

the globe. This can be applied in difficult situations like credit crunch or also known as the

credit squeeze or the credit crisis. It is considered as the sudden reduction in the general

availability of loans or credits. It can also be defined as a situation where in there is a

sudden tightening of conditions that are needed in order to get a loan from different banks.

The said situation focuses on the reduction in the availability of the credit independent due

to the rise of official interest rates. Thus, in the said aspect, between the credit availability

and the interest rates has implicitly changed, where in either of the credit becomes less

available at any given interest rate, or there is a ceases to be clear in order to have a clear

relationship between the interest rates as well as the credit availability. More often than not,

the credit crunch is being accompanied by a flight in order to qualify by lenders as well as

investors, as they seek a lesser risky investments (Ding & Domac n.d.).

In the said situation, it can be said that those organizations and companies that have

a strong organizational identity as well as employer image will have their advantage,

compare to those who does not have that strong disposition. They can have a strong

connection with the different banking and finance institution in order to support their

financial needs, together with the different individual and group investors because of the

fact that they have a strong image that can guarantee trust and will help the financial

institution to look at their current status.

 

 

References

 

Austin, E W & Pinkleton, B 2006, Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning and Managing Effective Communication Programs, Routledge

Davis, D, Davis, D, Barnes, B & Fox, R 2003, The Continuing Professional Development of

Physicians: From Research to Practice, AMA Bookstore

Ding, W, Domac, I & Ferri, G, Is There a Credit Crunch in East Asia? WorldBank, viewed

12 January 2009,

http://www.worldbank.org/html/dec/Publications/Workpapers/WPS1900series/wps1959/

wps1959.pdf >

Martin, G 2007, Driving Corporate Reputations and Brands from the Inside: A Strategic

Role and Strategic Dilemmas for HR? viewed 29 December 2008,

http://www.managingpeoplebook.com/userimages/DrivingCorporateReputationsfromInside.

pdf>

University of Texas 2006, Hierarchical Multiple Regression, viewed 29 December 2008, <

http://www.utexas.edu/courses/schwab/sw388r7_spring_2006/SolvingProblems/

MultipleRegression_CompleteHierarchicalProblems_spring2006.ppt>

van Dick, R 2007, British Journal of Management: An International Forum Advancing

Theory and Research, Wiley, viewed 29 December 2008, <

http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=1045-3172 >

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