Between Organizational Identification and Organizational Alienation: Duality, Tension, and Transformation
Chapter from the book:
Mücevher,
M.
H.
(ed.)
2026.
Dualism in Organizational Behavior: The Tension and Interaction of Opposing Concepts – Volume 1.
Synopsis
This book chapter theoretically examines the concepts of organizational identification and organizational alienation within the framework of the duality perspective. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, organizational identification is defined as an individual’s identity-based sense of belonging to the organization, whereas organizational alienation is associated with an increased psychological distance from the organization and a loss of meaning at work. The chapter argues that these two processes are not mutually exclusive but may emerge simultaneously and transform into one another under specific organizational and contextual conditions. In particular, it is emphasized that excessive and uncritical identification may weaken individual autonomy and increase the risk of covert alienation. From this perspective, the chapter proposes conceptualizing organizational identification and alienation not as static states but as context-sensitive and transformational processes, and it provides a theoretical foundation for future empirical research.
How to cite this book
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Published
DOI
Categories
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammet Hamdi Mücevher; Betül Okudur Sabuncu- Muhammet Hamdi Mücevher- Fatma Nur Karaca- Hatice Çoban Kumbalı- Gamze Solmaz- Hacer Orun Kavak- İfakat Atak- İbrahim Salih Çekim- Fatmanur Çeçen- Zeynep İlhan- Şengül Sağlam- Şerife Güzel- Hatice Sabırlı- Mehmet Ali Taş- Damla Aylin Erten- Esin Barutçu- Derya Dinçer Gültekin- Zeynep Duran