Organizational Socialization and Assimilation

Organizational membership is a significant part of modern life. Individuals affiliate with organizations for social connection, religious worship, philanthropic involvement, and most certainly, to earn a living. When individuals join an organization, they typically receive some measure of training or orientation which socializes them to the organization. Organizational socialization is the process by which newcomers learn how to fulfill their roles, are introduced to others, and become familiar with the policies and norms of the organization. Organizations socialize new members to enhance their effectiveness and to maintain the organization's culture and operations. A desired outcome of socialization is newcomers' assimilation to the organization. When members assimilate, they become familiar with the culture and assume their roles as participating members of the organization. Therefore, organizations introduce newcomers to the “way things are done around here” with the dual purpose of easing coordination of activities between new and existing workers and of shaping newcomers into members who will safeguard the well-being of the organization.

Studies of socialization in the late 1890s were focused on how individuals could be civilized for the overall benefit of society. By the 1920s, sociologists viewed a civilized society to be a natural condition and were less concerned about problems related to social order. In the 1930s, researchers began to consider how individuals could be better trained by management or socialized to assume organizational roles. Socialization research continued to examine and promote best practices that enabled managers to shape newcomers into loyal, productive members. Most studies were applied and did little to theorize socialization and assimilation experiences.

In 1979, John Van Maanen and Edgar Schein introduced a model depicting the three primary processes (dimensions) of organizational socialization. The first dimension relates to the functional area in which newcomers enter and are socialized into the organization. Accordingly, recruits become connected to a particular function within the organization (e.g., human resources, production, accounting). The second dimension, inclusionary, involves the social aspects of assimilation. As newcomers become recognized for their contributions and are accepted, others seek their opinions and social participation. Thus, newcomers become more integrated into the social fabric of the organization. The third dimension, hierarchical, involves moving up the hierarchy of the organization. The model—and much early socialization research—assumes newcomers enter at lower levels in the organization and ascend the hierarchical ranks as they assimilate. The model is a useful conceptualization of how members move from positions of peripheral importance to roles that are core and higher in the organization.

Van Maanen and Schein also argued that organizations have a powerful influence on assimilation based on how they socialize newcomers. They proposed a typology of six bipolar tactics organizations use to socialize newcomers. Formal (vs. informal) methods separate newcomers from existing members to undergo training and orientation classes. Collective (vs. individual) tactics group recruits for socialization, exposing them to common learning experiences. Sequential (vs. random) methods require that the newcomer complete a lock-step series of classes and/or adjustment experiences. Fixed (vs. variable) strategies specify a set [Page 723]timetable for moving from one socialization experience to another. Serial (vs. disjunctive) tactics provide mentors or more experienced peers to train the newcomer. Investiture (vs. divestiture) tactics provide supportiveness, affirming the newcomer's incoming identity, skills, and other attributes.

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