Previous studies have shown that the group relative standing perceived by acquired employees negatively impacts their turnover (intentions) within post-acquisition organizations. This research integrates social identity theory, relative standing theory, and relative deprivation theory to develop a comprehensive model, emphasizing the mediating mechanism and boundary conditions at play. Specifically, when status legitimacy is low and the cost of positive identity achievement is high, a negative relationship emerges between group relative standing and turnover (intentions), mediated by group relative deprivation. By clarifying the influence mechanism, this study extends the existing research on employee turnover in mergers and acquisitions, contributing to social identity theory by introducing collective disengagement as a strategy for identity enhancement. The findings offer significant managerial implications for M&A integration and similar organizational contexts.
