Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-lrblm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-11T18:56:17.034Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Typology of Organizational Membership: Understanding Different Membership Relationships Through the Lens of Social Exchange

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Christina L. Stamper ,
Suzanne S. Masterson  and
Joshua Knapp
Christina L. Stamper
Affiliation:
Western Michigan University, USA
Suzanne S. Masterson
Affiliation:
University of Cincinnati, USA
Joshua Knapp
Affiliation:
University of Lethbridge, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Using a social exchange perspective and responding to prior calls to separate resources exchanged from the relationship between parties, we develop a relationship typology based on rights and responsibilities arguments. We begin with the idea that various levels and types of rights and responsibilities are the exchange currency utilized by the employer and employee, respectively. Further, the degree to which an organization grants rights to an individual and the degree to which the individual voluntarily accepts responsibilities results in four distinct organizational membership profiles (i.e., peripheral, associate, detached, and full). We believe this membership typology is an important theoretical mechanism that may be used to link the exchange between the employee and employer (as represented by psychological contracts) to psychological attachment (as represented by perceived membership) between these two parties. Specifically, members in each profile will tend to have certain kinds of psychological attachments to the organization, causing them to (i) perceive membership in certain ways and (ii) behave in a manner consistent with that perception. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the propositions for both researchers and practitioners, as well as making suggestions for future research efforts.

Keywords

perceived organizational membershiprelational tiessocial exchange感知的组织成员资格关系纽带社会交换
Type
Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , November 2009 , pp. 303 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, J. S. 1965. Inequity in social exchange. In Berkowitz, L. (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology, vol. 2: 267–299. New York, NY: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adler, S., & Golan, J. 1981. Lateness as a withdrawal behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66(5): 544–554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aronson, E., & Mills, J. 1959. The effect of severity of initiation on liking for a group. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 59(2): 177–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashforth, B. E., & Mael, F. 1989. Social identity theory and the organization. Academy of Management Review, 14(1): 20–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, G. S. 1964. Human capital. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Bennett, R., & Stamper, C. L. 2002. Corporate citizenship and deviancy: A study of discretionary work behavior. In Galbraith, C. S & Ryan, M. (Eds.), Strategies and organizations in transition, vol. 3: 269–290. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science.Google Scholar
Blau, P. 1964. Exchange and power in social life. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Borman, W. C., & Motowidlo, S. J. 1993. Expanding the criterion domain to include elements of extrarolc performance. In Schmitt, N. & Borman, W. C (Eds.), Personnel selection in organizations: 71–98. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Buss, A. H., & Portnoy, N. W. 1967. Pain tolerance and group identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6(1): 106–108.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caudron, S. 1994. Contingent workforce spurs HR planning. Personnel Journal, 73(7): 52–60.Google Scholar
Chen, P., & Spector, P. 1992. Relationships of work stressors with aggression, withdrawal, theft, and substance abuse: An exploratory study. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 65(3): 177–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. 2005. Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6): 874–900.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. 1986. Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3): 500–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foa, U. G., & Foa, E. B. 1974. Social structures of the mind. Springfield, IL: Charles-C. Charles, C. Thomas.Google Scholar
Fox, M. 1995. The reinvention of work. New York, NY: Harper Collins.Google Scholar
Gelfand, M. J., & Realo, A. 1999. Individualism-collectivism and accountability in intergroup negotiations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(5): 721–736.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gouldner, A. W. 1957. Cosmopolitans and locals: Toward an analysis of latent social roles. Administrative Science Quarterly, 2(3): 281–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gouldner, A. W. 1960. The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2): 53–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, J. W. 1991. An essay on organizational citizenship behavior. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 4(4): 249–270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofstede, G. 1980. Culture's consequences: International differences in work related values. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Hom, P. W. 1979. Effects of job peripherality and personal characteristics on the job satisfaction of part-time workers. Academy of Management Journal, 22(3): 551–565.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hong, Y., Ip, G., Chiu, C., Morris, M. W., & Menon, T. 2001. Cultural identity and dynamic construction of the self: Collective duties and individual rights in Chinese and American cultures. Social Cognition, 19(3): 251–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hui, C., Lee, C., & Rousseau, D. M. 2004. Psychological contracts and organizational citizenship behaviors in China: Investigating generalizability and instrumentality. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(2): 311–321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huseman, R. C., Hatfield, J. D., & Miles, E. W. 1987. A new perspective on equity theory: The equity sensitivity construct. Academy of Management Review, 12(2): 222–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kalleberg, A. L., & Schmidt, K. 1997. Contingent employment in organizations: Part-time, temporary, and subcontracting relations. In Kalleberg, A. L.Knoke, D.Marsden, P. & Spaeth, J. (Eds.), Organizations in America: Analyzing their structures and human resource practices: 253–275. New York, NY: Sage.Google Scholar
Kreiner, G. E., & Ashforth, B. E. 2004. Evidence toward an expanded model of organizational identification. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(1): 1–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kristof, A. L. 1996. Person-organization fit: An integrative review of its conceptualizations, measurement, and implications. Personnel Psychology, 49(1): 1–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. 1991. Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98(2): 224–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Masterson, S. S., & Stamper, C. L. 2003. Perceived organizational membership: An aggregate framework representing the employee-organization relationship. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Special issue on employment relationships, 24(5): 473–490.Google Scholar
McLean Parks, J., & Kidder, D. L. 1994. ‘Till death us do part … ’: Changing work relationships in the 1990s. In Cooper, C. L & Rousseau, D. M (Eds.), Trends in organizational behavior (Vol. 1): 111–136. New York, NY: Wiley.Google Scholar
McLean Parks, J., Kidder, D. L., & Gallagher, D. G. 1998. Fitting square pegs into round holes: Mapping the domain of contingent work arrangements onto the psychological contract. Journal of Organization Behavior, Special issue on the psychological contract at work, 19(S1): 697–730.Google Scholar
McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. 1986. Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1): 6–23.3.0.CO;2-I>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merriam-Webster. 2009. Merriam-Webster online dictionary. [Cited 21 January 2009.] Available from URL: http://www.merriam-webster.com/Google Scholar
Millward, L. J., & Hopkins, L.J. 1998. Psychological contracts, organizational and job commitment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28(16): 1530–1556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, E. W., & Robinson, S. L. 1997. When employees feel betrayed: A model of how psychological contract violation develops. Academy of Management Review, 22(1): 226–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Motowidlo, S. J., & Van Scotter, J. R. 1994. Evidence that task performance should be distinguished from contextual performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4): 475–480.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Leary-Kelly, A. M., Griffin, R. W., & Glew, D.J. 1996. Organization-motivated aggression: A research framework. Academy of Management Review, 21(4): 225–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearce, J. L. 1993. Toward an organizational behavior of contract laborers: Their psychological involvement and effects on employee co-workers. Academy of Management Journal, 36(5): 1082–1096.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, J. M. 1998. Effects of realistic job previews on multiple organizational outcomes: A metaanalysis. Academy of Management Journal, 41(6): 673–690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Moorman, R. H., & Fetter, R. 1990. Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Leadership Quarterly, 1(2): 107–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puffer, S. 1987. Prosocial behavior, noncompliant behavior, and work performance among commission salespeople. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72(4): 615–621.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. 2002. Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4): 698–714.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riketta, M. 2005. Organizational identification: A meta-analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 66(2): 358–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, S. L., & Bennett, R. J. 1995. A typology of deviant workplace behaviors: A multidimensional scaling study. Academy of Management Journal, 38(2): 555–572.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, S. L., Kraatz, M. S., & Rousseau, D. M. 1994. Changing obligations and the psychological contract: A longitudinal study. Academy of Management Journal, 37(1): 137–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rousseau, D. M. 1989. Psychological and implied contracts in organizations. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 2(2): 121–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rousseau, D. M., & McLean Parks, J. 1993. The contracts of individuals and organizations. In Cummings, L. L. & Staw, B. M. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior, vol. 15: 1–43. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.Google Scholar
Rousseau, D. M., Sitkin, S. B., Burt, R. S., & Camerer, C. 1998. Not so different after all: A cross discipline view of trust. Academy of Management Review, 23(3): 393–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rousseau, D. M., & Wade-Benzoni, K. 1994. Linking strategy and human resource practices: How employee and customer contracts are created. Human Resource Management, 33(3): 463–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sahlins, M. 1972. Stone age economics. New York, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Shore, L. M., & Barksdalc, K. 1998. Examining degree of balance and level of obligation in the employment relationship: A social exchange approach. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Special issue on the psychological contract at work, 19 (S1): 731–744.Google Scholar
Shore, L. M., & Tetrick, L. E. 1994. The psychological contract as an explanatory framework in the employment relationship. In Cooper, C. L. & Rousseau, D. M. (Eds.), Trends in organizational behavior, vol. 1: 91–109. New York, NY: Wiley.Google Scholar
Stamper, C. L., & Masterson, S. S. 2002. Insider or outsider?: How employee perceptions of insider status affect their work behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(8): 875–894.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, J. A., & Bunderson, J. S. 2003. Violations of principle: Ideological currency in the psychological contract. Academy of Management Review, 28(4): 571–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Triandis, H. C., McCusker, C., & Hui, C. H. 1990. Multimethod probes of individualism and collectivism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(5): 1006–1020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsui, A. S., Pearce, J. L., Porter, L. W., & Tripoli, A. M. 1997. Alternative approaches to the employee-organization relationship: Docs investment in employees pay off? Academy of Management Journal, 40(5): 1089–1121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsui, A. S., & Wu, J. B. 2005. The new employment relationship-vs. the mutual investment approach: Implications for human resource management. Human Resource Management, 44(2): 115–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Dyne, L., & Pierce, J. L. 2004. Psychological ownership and feelings of possession: Three field studies predicting employee attitudes and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(4): 439–459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VandeWalle, D., Van Dyne, L., & Kostova, T. 1995. Psychological ownership: An empirical examination of its consequences. Group and Organization Management, 20(2), 210–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weiss, N. 1998. How Starbucks impassions workers to drive growth. Workforce, 77(8): 60–64.Google Scholar
Wu, J. B., Hom, P. W., Tetrick, L. E., Shore, L. M., Jia, L., Li, C., & Song, J. 2006. The norm of reciprocity: Scale development and validation in the Chinese context. Management and Organization Review, 2(3): 377–402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xiao, Z., & Bjorkman, I. 2006. High commitment work systems in Chinese organizations: A preliminary measure. Management and Organization Review, 2(3): 403–422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar