Organizational change and employee organizational identification: Mediation of perceived uncertainty

In this study we explored the relationship between organizational change and employee organizational identification by examining the mediating effects of perception of uncertainty. Considering the importance of an individual’s subjective perception, we hypothesized that perceived pace and scope of organizational change would increase an employee’s feelings of uncertainty, which would, in turn, result in stronger organizational identification. We also predicted that employee perceptions of boundary permeability between organizations would moderate the proposed relationships. Employees working in Korean firms participated in a survey to report on their experience of major organizational changes, their feelings of uncertainty, and organizational identification. The results of the analyses supported the proposed hypotheses: both the mediating effect of uncertainty and the moderating effect of boundary permeability. The managerial and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.