The Two Faces of Prestige: The Bright and Dark Effects of Perceived External Prestige on Turnover Intention

14th International Symposium in Service Management, Ankara, Türkiye, 14 - 17 Temmuz 2026, sa.671, ss.180, (Özet Bildiri)

The main aim of this study is to examine the mediating roles of organizational identification, organizational

pride, and a competitive work environment in the effect of perceived external prestige on

turnover intention, within a holistic model framework. Based on Social Identity Theory, this research

suggests that a high perception of external prestige strengthens employees’ perceptions of social identity

and status, increasing organizational identification and subsequently organizational pride; this

“bright” mechanism ultimately weakens the turnover intention. On the other hand, it is argued that

on the “dark” side of the coin, high perceived external prestige triggers a competitive work environment

by creating high performance expectations and pressure to maintain status within the organization,

which can increase the turnover intention. The research aims to provide a more comprehensive

explanation to the literature by combining these opposing mechanisms of external prestige into a

single model. The study’s findings are expected to highlight the need for businesses to consider the

potentially destructive effects of excessively competitive working conditions that prestigious organizations

can create when developing employee engagement and retention strategies.

Keywords: Perceived External Prestige, Organizational Identification, Organizational Pride, Competitive

Work Environment, Turnover Intention