Does group relative deprivation (GRD) influence the turnover intentions of acquired employees during ac-quisition aftermath, and if so, how? Based on social identity theory (SIT) and relative deprivation theory (RDT), considering GRD as the negative feelings of acquired employees with illegitimately low status stemming from the comparison with the acquiring group members, and taking organizational identity sali-ence as a reflection of the dynamic social identity of acquired employees, this study develops a theoretical model of the impact of GRD on the turnover intentions of acquired employees. Using a sample of the ac-quired employees at the stage of acquisition aftermath (349 participants), the study finds a positive relation-ship between GRD and turnover intention, a mediation effect of organizational identity salience, and a mod-eration effect of individual relative deprivation (IRD) on the relationship. In addition, this study also finds a fully mediated moderation effect, suggesting that the moderating effect of IRD on the relationship between GRD and turnover intention is completely mediated by organizational identity salience. By finding the vital role of GRD and a hedging effect of IRD on GRD in the direct impact on turnover intention as well as the collective disengagement strategy for achieving positive social identity, this study contributes to the litera-ture on turnover in mergers and acquisitions and relevant research based on both theory of SIT and RDT.
