Organisational Identification Scale

What it measures

Measures the degree to which an individual perceives oneness with or belongingness to an organisation, treating the organisation's successes and failures as personal. Originally developed for alumni-university identification, the scale has become the most widely used measure of organisational identification and has been extensively adapted for brand identification, sports team identification, brand community identification, and consumer-company identification. Drawing on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner), identification produces in-group favouritism, defence of the target from criticism, and integration of the target's identity into one's own self-concept. In consumer research, brand and company identification predicts brand loyalty, advocacy, willingness to pay premiums, and resistance to competitive switching beyond what can be explained by satisfaction or attitude alone.

Representative items

• When someone criticises this organisation, it feels like a personal insult.
• I am very interested in what others think about this organisation.
• When I talk about this organisation, I usually say 'we' rather than 'they'.
• This organisation's successes are my successes.
• When someone praises this organisation, it feels like a personal compliment.

Citation

Mael, F., & Ashforth, B.E. (1992). Alumni and their alma mater: A partial test of the reformulated model of organizational identification. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 65(2), 103–123.