Implications of Individualist Bias in Social Identity Theory in International Organizational Studies

An individualist bias in social identity theory (SIT) has implications for the study of individual and organizational identity theories in international organization studies. Social identity theory is widely used and accepted in western and international management and organization studies, however the social identity approach which is applied to individual and organizational identity theories faces limitations when applied to identity in non-western, more collectivist cultures. Identity constructs measured by scales developed by Western scholars using Western theories may not be similarly measured outside of Western contexts. These implications are identified for three constructs of interest in international organization studies—organizational identification, organizational commitment, and group and team processes –and recommendations are made regarding future research.