Personal Factors in Organizational Identification

This is a study of the personal dynamics of the process of organizational identification in the U.S. Forest Service, an organization noted for the high degree of organizational identification of its members. It was hypothesized and found that identification increased as a function of time and commitment to a pivotal organizational goal, public service. Organizational position, with tenure held constant, did not relate to identification. It was further found that several personal characteristics suggestive of a service orientation were related to identification. It was also hypothesized and found that identification is related to the member's higherorder need satisfactions. There appears to be a process whereby (1) serviceoriented individuals are attracted to and recruited by the Forest Service, (2) service-oriented members are likely to identify strongly with the Service, and (3) this identification results in intrinsic need satisfactions.