hat are the pros and cons of using clothing, logos, distinctive slang and jargon, and similar devices to create social and organizational identity? In your opinion and experience, do these devices work? Do they create problems due to conformity pressures? Are leaders more or less likely to feel conformity pressures?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Pros: Organizations also frequently use clothing and distinctive fashion apparel to create a common identity and to help people take on their occupational and organizational identity (Dutton, Dukerich, & Harquail, 1994; Pratt & Rafaeli, 1997). Moreover, organizations use a wide variety of symbols (logos, distinctive architecture, furniture, equipment, flags, mascots, color schemes, and job titles) and specialized language and jargon to create a unique organizational identity (Pratt & Rafaeli, 2001). These can be very effective in creating a common identity and in boosting job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Cons: Have you ever joined a sports team, music band, club, or other organization because you loved the activity the group did? Perhaps you loved playing soccer or performing rock music. People often show their identification with these activities in a wide variety of ways. Soccer team members often wear sweats and soccer-related clothing even when they are not playing soccer, and rock band members often dress in distinctive fashions as well. This can result in conformity pressures—perhaps you love soccer, but you would rather dress more professionally when away from the field. Or maybe you love rock music, but you really don’t want another tattoo. The same peer pressures can happen at work—perhaps you love accounting, but you would rather dress like a rock star than an accountant. Leaders in particular may come under intense pressure from their organization and even from their followers to conform to their organization’s stereotypical leader identity (Sinclair, 2011). This can make it difficult for leaders to be their authentic selves.
Problems may also occur when people overidentify with their leaders or organizations. Followers who overindentify with their leaders or their organization may fail to question ethically dubious directions from their leaders. Or they may fail to question bad planning and poor decision making. As will be discussed in later chapters, history is full of charismatic and narcissistic leaders who have convinced their followers to carry out unethical and unwise policies.