The following study examines the impact that perceptions of
organizational continuity (POC) have on organizational identification (OI) and
organizational outcomes, including organizational citizenship behaviors
(OCBs) and turnover intentions. It was proposed that POC would be an
important factor in determining OI, OCBs, and turnover intentions. In order to
test this proposition, a scale was developed that measured an individual's
POC within their organization with regards to the organization's culture and
history. A survey was distributed among working individuals that contained the
new measure of POC and other established measures of an organization's
culture and values. The sample consisted of 394 participants. The results
showed that the construct of POC consisted of perceiving the organization's
culture and values as continuous over time. Additionally, the measure
predicted OCBs and turnover intentions. POC did not, however, predict these
outcomes over and above OI. Mediation analyses showed that OI mediated
the relationship between POC and OCBs/turnover, thus, providing evidence to
show that POC is a contributing factor in the development of an individual's
identification with an organization. This investigation extends research in the
area of OI from the social identity perspective by providing the basis for
understanding and measuring one of the components that leads to
identification with an organization.
