International Journal of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
2025, Vol. 14(1-2), pp. 23 – 53.
ISSN 2304 – 1366
https://www.ijmess.com
DOI: 10.32327/IJMESS/14.1-2.2025.2

Newcomers' Organizational Socialization: A Systematic Literature Review

Lu Yu¹
Hong Ren²
Romila Singh^2
1College of Business, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, USA
²Lubar College of Business, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

This paper systematically reviews research on organizational socialization by examining ten key theories within four major perspectives: Uncertainty Reduction, Identity Affiliation, Social Exchange, and Resource. We aim to address three main research questions: (1) What motivates individuals to engage in proactive socialization? (2) What mechanisms facilitate effective socialization? and (3) What resources are essential for successful newcomer integration? A multi-database search was conducted across Web of Science and PsycINFO, covering peer-reviewed empirical articles published since 2000. A total of 112 sources were included in the systematic review. The findings demonstrate how these theories have evolved to incorporate the growing influence of technology, diversity, and remote work, with significant adaptations to address organizational changes. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these developments, offering insights on how organizations can refine their socialization strategies to better support newcomers in today's dynamic work environments.

Keywords: Organizational socialization, uncertainty reduction, identity affiliation, social exchange, resource perspective
JEL: M10, M12, M14

Supplementary Table (Appendix-II)

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