What Binds Employees
2
WHAT BINDS EMPLOYEES TO AN ORGANIZATION?
A STUDY OF ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION
IN TWO THAI ORGANIZATIONS
Abstract
This study examined organizational identification in the context of two Thai non-profit organizations:
government-run Community Development Department (CDD) and private-run Population and Community
Development Association (PDA). The degree to which CDD members identified with CDD and PDA
members identified with PDA was assessed by using the Organizational Identification Questionnaire
constructed by Cheney (1982). Comparison of PDA and CDD scores on Cheney’s OIQ provided findings
that mirror those of previous studies of organizational identification. Specifically, the level of organizational
identification among those employees who work for the privately run social cause organization was
significantly higher than was true of the employees who work for the government organization. Thus, the
private organization appears to be more effective than the government organization in successfully
fostering employee identification. However, while factor analysis of the Cheney instrument revealed three
dimensions, they were not the three dimensions theorized by Cheney. Instead, within the context of
Thailand, the dimensions describing organizational identification appear to reflect: Life values (Pride in
Membership), Social values (Fit with Organization), and Personal values (Comfort Zone).
Convention