Chapter 4: Re-Examining The Link Between Organizational Image And Member Attraction: On the Positive Uses of “Negative” Organizational Stories in Recruiting Medical Residents

Previous studies looking at the relationship between organizational image and recruitment have been premised on the idea that positive images are better than negative ones because they increase the size of the applicant pool and the organization’s chances of selecting higher quality members. Data from an intensive case study of incoming residents at a top teaching hospital reveals that this relationship may be more nuanced than previously thought. Specifically, this organization used stories that were both perceived as negative, and later found to be untrue, to alter its applicant pool and increase its standing among residency programs. We argue that such negative aspects of an organization’s image may provide benefits to both the organization and its prospective members (e.g., member identification), but in order to understand why this occurs, it is important to understand the professional/institu- tional context of such stories, their historical intent, and their means-end orientation. We conclude by discussing the implications of this for our understanding of the dynamics among image, recruitment, and members’ relationship with the organization. We also discuss some of the practical considerations that organizations who use similar strategies may want to con- sider—especially residency training programs.