‘Belonging’ to a Virtual Research Centre: Exploring the Influence of Social Capital Formation Processes on Member Identification in a Virtual Organization

Identification, a person's sense of belonging, is thought to have positive outcomes because those who identify strongly will be more motivated to achieve organizational goals. This study applies a social capital lens in order to highlight how different social capital formation processes contribute to member identification, with a focus on virtual organizations where dispersed membership may preclude face‐to‐face interactions. The study provides a rare opportunity to explore variation in identification in a single organizational context. The results highlight how some dimensions of social capital augment each other and affect identification through the four conditions that influence social capital development: time, interdependence, interaction and closure. The study suggests that, while creating interdependence and an array of means for interaction support the development of both social capital and identification, not all members of the organization need to feel equally connected. Partial closure appears beneficial for information flows and ‘renewal’ of the virtual organization.