Massimo Bergami

Self-categorization, affective commitment and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in the organization

The purpose of this study is to distinguish between cognitive, affective and evaluative components of social identity in the organization and to show how the components instigate behaviours that benefit in-group members. A new scale for measuring cognitive organizational identification (i.e. self-categorization) is developed and compared to a leading scale. Internal consistency, convergent validity, predictive validity and generalizability of the two scales are established on a sample of Italian (N = 409) and Korean (N = 283) workers. Next, convergent and discriminant validity for measures of organizational identification, affective commitment and group self-esteem are demonstrated. Then, two antecedents of these components of social identity are examined: organization prestige and organization stereotypes. Finally, the mediating role of the components of social identity are investigated between the antecedents and five forms of citizenship behaviours. The last three analyses are performed on the Italian (N = 409) workers. Among other findings, the results show that affective commitment and self-esteem are the primary motivators of citizenship behaviours. Moreover, cognitive identification performs as a central mediator between prestige and stereotypes on the one hand, and affective commitment and self-esteem on the other. Identification is thus an indirect determinant of citizenship behaviours.

Cultural and Situational Contingencies and the Theory of Reasoned Action: Application to Fast Food Restaurant Consumption

This study investigated the usefulness of the theory of reasoned action for fast food restaurant patronage decisions. The theory of reasoned action was found to generalize across four samples drawn from the United States ( N = 246), Italy ( N = 123), The Peoples Republic of China ( N = 264), and Japan ( N =419). However, predictions under the theory of reasoned action were found to vary, depending on the social setting (eating alone or eating with friends) and cultural orientation (independent vs. interdependent). Among other results, subjective norms were found to influence decisions when eating with friends, but not when alone; the effects of attitudes, subjective norms, and past behavior on intentions were greater for Americans than Italians, Chinese, or Japanese; and in general, more explained variance occurred for Western (American, Italian) than Eastern (Chinese, Japanese) cultures.

Hierarchical representation of motives in goal setting.

The authors developed a framework for thinking about motives in goal setting. The reasons for choosing a particular goal are represented in a hierarchical network of motives. To uncover context-specific motives and their interconnections, the authors propose a procedure based on the elicitation of justifications for ones goal. The authors applied the procedure to the motivation of volunteering to join the Italian Army by officers (N = 151) and 3 groups of enlisted soldiers (Garibaldi Brigade, N = 141; Folgore Brigade, N = 144; and volunteers in training, N = 150). The resulting idiographic motives and linkages between motives were validated by regressing attitudes, intentions to reenlist, and commitment toward the army on motives and linkages between motives. A heuristic nomothetic summary of goals, arranged in an interconnected hierarchy, was derived.

Customer-Organization Relationships: Development and Test of a Theory of Extended Identities

We develop a theory of personal, relational, and collective identities that links organizations and consumers. Four targets of identity are studied: small friendship groups of aficionados of Ducati motorcycles, virtual communities centered on Ducatis, the Ducati brand, and Ducati the company. The interplay amongst the identities is shown to order affective, cognitive, and evaluative reactions toward each target. Hypotheses are tested on a sample of 210 Ducati aficionados, and implications of these multiple, extended identities for organizations are examined.

Brand Communities: Loyal to the Community or the Brand?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the relative emphasis accorded by members of a brand community to identification with that community and identification with the brand-owner, and thereby close a gap in the literature to date.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature relating to identification, loyalty, and potentially mediating brand-related constructs, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was carried out at a brandfest organised by a major European motorcycle manufacturer. Data collected from 256 respondents were analysed by structural equation modelling, testing seven hypothesised causal links.Findings – Brand loyalty is primarily influenced by identification with the brand community, through the mediating role of brand affect.Research limitations/implications – The findings require confirmation in other settings and industry sectors before they can be generalised with confidence, but point to several fruitful research directions.Practical implications – Brand strategists have new evidence to guide allocation of effort and resources to the effective cultivation and maintenance of brand loyalty.Originality/value – The study makes an original contribution, in a real-world setting, to the understanding of how members of a brand community relate to the brand, and of how their brand loyalty is activated.

The hierarchical cognitive structure of entrepreneur motivation toward private equity financing

Abstract This research investigates the motivation of 91 Italian entrepreneurs for engaging in private equity financing. The laddering methodology is used to uncover cognitive schemas of entrepreneurs consisting of a structure of interconnected motives organized in a hierarchy. Means – end chain theory, the laddering technique, and principles from network analysis are used to interpret the schemas. The individual motives and connections among motives provide insights into why entrepreneurs make the decisions that they do and suggest practical implications for strategic decisions, everyday management and policy. The overall approach and results of this study differ fundamentally from traditional financial and business strategy points of view on decision making by entrepreneurs in that actual thinking processes, values and goals of managers are investigated to explain their choices and actions.

Global Energy Scenarios

There are phases in the life of organizations that almost seem devoid of major events. Progress is made based on a succession of small steps, years pass by without any, or almost imperceptible, changes. But then suddenly without any warning change accelerates, fuelled by a series of unexpected events. Barriers fall, regimes collapse, revolutions explode, nations and organizations cease to be, are created or flourish.

Schema-Based Sensemaking of the Decision to Participate and its Effects on Job Performance

This paper describes the development and testing of an iterative framework, based on a situated cognition perspective, for uncovering cognitive schemas that people enact in sensemaking processes. The research investigated the cognitive schemas of 167 employees participating in a call center through the elicitation of interpretations and the justifications for those interpretations. Data were analyzed by using a laddering methodology based on means-end analysis in order to disclose declarative (i.e., concepts) and procedural (i.e., relations between concepts) knowledge. A cognitive cause map and its main indexes were derived, following principles from social network analysis. The results demonstrate how specific contents of cognitive schemas that arise during sensemaking (e.g., fulfillment) are related to job performance. In addition, the schema connecting skills development to improving career prospects and to personal growth was significant, revealing the prominent influence exerted by procedural knowledge in enacting sensemaking and motivating greater performance.

National Monopoly to Successful Multinational: the case of Enel

List of Tables List of Charts Acknowledgements Introduction A Snapshot at the Start of 2011 The Case Study, Methodology, Key Players PART I: THE EVOLUTION OF ENEL From the Origins to the Regulatory Shake-up (1962-1996) Cultural Change, Reorganization and Diversification (1996-2002): The Search for a New Identity Strategic Refocusing and International Expansion: Building the Future Enel (2002-2010) 2008-2010: Enel Today Enel, Ten Years of Extraordinary Financial Performance Conclusions PART II: WHEN MANAGEMENT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE A Balance between Dynamism and Preserving Excellence and Operational Reliability Leadership in a Combination of Continuity and Strategic Change: Building a New Identity Institutional Legitimation and Reputation Conclusions PART III: THE BEST ENERGY COMPANY IN THE WORLD Global Energy Scenarios Technological Foundations for a Sustainable Competitive Edge Strategic Challenges and Building One Company Conclusions Afterword - Five Rather Difficult Issues by Gianni Lorenzoni Bibliography

Strategic Challenges and Building One Company

To become the world’s best energy group is a very ambitious vision. Energy market scenarios are heavily conditioned by geopolitical trends that certainly offer many opportunities, but also involve many constraints and threats. Because of this a great deal of emphasis needs to be placed on technological variables and the ability to gain some advantage by means of decisions. However, the consequences of these decisions will take quite some time — from five to ten years — to become clear and, therefore, be evaluated.