Social identification in projects: The role of project complexity, depletion, and multi-project work

Tabassum, Marya, Raziq, Md Mustafa, Allen, Matthew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6463-9039 and Saleh, S (2025) Social identification in projects: The role of project complexity, depletion, and multi-project work. European Management Review. ISSN 1740-4754

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Abstract

Social identification among project team members significantly impacts project performance, yet existing research often overlooks how team members' identification with the team and with the project influences project performance under varying conditions of complexity and uncertainty. This is especially important when team members are involved in multiple simultaneous projects. Combining social identity theory with an uncertainty perspective, we examine how team identification and project identification relate to project performance. In uncertain environments, project identification reduces uncertainty by guiding norms and managing interdependencies across multiple projects, reducing resource depletion and enhancing project performance. By contrast, team identification reduces uncertainty from project complexity, improving outcomes. In stable environments, project identification primarily reduces uncertainty from project complexity. We analyze project complexity and concurrent project assignments as moderators and resource depletion as a mediator. Using data from two studies—137 IT professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 (an uncertain environment) and 101 in 2023 (a stable environment), we extend the social identity literature by highlighting the distinctive influences of team identification and project identification on project performance.