Relationships and identity fusion: Understanding antecedents of employees' megaphoning behaviours in response to corporate misconduct-related crises

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand employees' cognitive and communicative reactions to allegations of corporate misconduct levied against their organization, and identify factors that may impact employees' reactions to such allegations. Specifically, this study focused on the idea of identity fusion as a key factor in helping buffer the organization against the negative cognitive and communicative impacts of corporate crises. Surveys conducted among American employees of large corporations revealed that identity fusion indeed mitigated their negative cognitive and communicative reactions to misconduct allegations, and encouraged positive megaphoning behaviours. Furthermore, identity fusion experienced by employees also mediated the relationship between employee–organization relationships and positive and negative megaphoning intentions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.