Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: OCB-Specific Meanings as Mediators

Purpose  

This study seeks to examine how perceived organizational instrumentality (the extent to which employees believe that OCB contributes to the functionality and effectiveness of their work unit or organization) and perceived individual instrumentality (the extent to which employees believe that OCB is important to their own interests) relate to employee engagement in OCB and how these perceptions mediate the effects of leadership on OCB.     

Employees’ perceived institutional importance,organizational norms,and organizational citizenship behavior: Insights from a multilevel assessment of the institutional anomie theory

ABSTRACT

This study contributes to the understanding of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and extending the application of institutional anomie theory (IAT). Employing a multilevel moderation framework, this paper explored the influence of employees’ perceived institutional importance to their demonstration of OCB and the moderating impacts of organizational norms on this relationship. Utilizing data of 243 employees from 34 banks in the Philippines, results of the hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis revealed the positive influence of the importance of the economy, family, polity, and religion on employees’ citizenship acts. Furthermore, goal emphasis and socio-emotional support have significant interacting effects on the association between perceived institutional importance and OCB.     

Moderators of the relationships between coworkers' organizational citizenship behavior and fellow employees' attitudes

The authors developed and tested the prediction that the relationship hetween coworkers' organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and fellow employees' attitudes depends on the supervisors' abusiveness. Results of a longitudinal study using data collected from 173 supervised employees at 2 points in time (separated by 7 months) suggested that coworkers' OCB was positively related to fellow employees' job satisfaction and affective commitment when abusive supervision was low. However, when abusive supervision was high, coworkers' OCB was negatively related to job satisfaction and was unrelated to organizational commitment. The results of a 2nd study were consistent with the idea that the attributions employees make for their coworkers' OCB explains the moderating effect of abusive supervision on the relationship between coworkers' OCB and job satisfaction.     

Perceptions of Organizational Politics and Employee Citizenship Behaviors: Conscientiousness and Self-monitoring as Moderators

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine the joint moderating effects of employees’ conscientiousness and self-monitoring on the relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and organizational citizenship behaviors.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Data were collected from 139 subordinate–supervisor dyads through networks of business contacts and university alums of a university in the Midwest US.

Findings

We found a significant three-way interaction between perceived politics, conscientiousness, and self-monitoring in predicting citizenship behaviors. High self-monitoring alleviated the negative effects of politics perceptions on the OCB of highly conscientious employees. Conversely, perceived politics was negatively related to the OCB of employees who reported having either low self-monitoring and high conscientiousness or high self-monitoring and low conscientiousness.

Implications

Our results advance the theoretical understanding of the relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and citizenship behaviors by integrating the occupational stress perspective with social exchange theory within the socio-analytic framework. Evidence suggests that employees with certain combinations of traits (e.g., low self-monitoring and high conscientiousness or high self-monitoring and low conscientiousness) were particularly susceptible to the negative effects of perceived politics. This knowledge may help practitioners identify training needs or motivational strategies to help alleviate the negative effects of perceived politics on employee citizenship behaviors.

Originality/Value

This study is one of the few that took a holistic person-oriented approach when examining the moderating effects of individual traits on the linkages between perceived politics and citizenship behaviors. In addition, we utilized supervisor ratings of citizenship behaviors to overcome concerns associated with common source bias.     

Justice, citizenship, and role definition effects

A limitation of the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) literature is that theory and empirical evidence suggest that some employees define OCBs as part of their job. A theoretical framework that addresses this problem is tested in this article. The framework focuses on 2 effects: a role enlargement effect (i.e., employees with more favorable attitudes define OCB as inrole behavior, which, in turn, results in greater citizenship) and a role discretion effect (i.e., the relationship between employees' attitudes and their citizenship will be stronger among employees who define OCB as extrarole behavior). In tests of this framework with 2 independent samples of supervisor-subordinate dyads, role definitions were found to moderate several relationships between procedural justice and OCB, providing support for the role discretion effect. Implications for OCB theory and research are discussed.     

Antecedents of organizational citizenship behaviour in a government-owned enterprise in Nigeria

The study examines the generalizability of perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived fair interpersonal treatment (PFIT) as positive correlates of organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in Nigeria. In a study conducted, 207 lower management employees of National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), a government-owned enterprise in Nigeria, were selected as participants. Standardized psychological scales measuring POS, PFIT, and three facets of OCB (helping, civic virtue, and sportsmanship) were administered. Data analysed using Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analysis (controlling gender, age, and tenure) respectively showed independent and joint positive association of POS and PFIT with OCB and each of its three dimensions. It is concluded that to enhance OCB among employees of organizations, especially government-owned enterprises in Nigeria, management need to device policies and put in place programmes that would ensure enhanced organizational support and fair interpersonal treatment.     

Personality and Perceived Justice as Predictors of Survivors’ Reactions Following Downsizing1

Downsizing, when deemed unfair, can result in negative outcomes in terras of survivors’ job attitudes and behaviors. Little research to date has examined whether a survivor's personality moderates these reactions. The present study examines the roles of personality and organizational justice in survivors’ reactions to downsizing. Results show that angry hostility moderates the relationships between survivors’ perceived interactional justice and (a) their organizational commitment, and (b) their intention to quit following downsizing. Specifically, the relationship between interactional justice and both criterion variables was significant only when angry hostility was low. Self‐discipline was found to moderate the relationship between survivors’ interactional justice and their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) such that there was a significant positive correlation between interactional justice and OCB only for those employees who were low on self‐discipline. These findings are discussed in light of how supervisors could best manage downsizing.     

Employees’ mood, perceptions of fairness, and organizational citizenship behavior

Previous research findings concerning employees’ perceptions of fairness and positive mood as predictors of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) have been equivocal. Explanations for this inconsistency may be related to the varying types of manipulation techniques adopted and samples tested. To address these issues, the present study adopted the mood and fairness manipulation techniques of Bachrach and Jex (2000, Journal of Applied Psychology, 30(3), 641–663) to investigate their effect on OCB amongst a sample of 138 employees from five large service organizations. The findings revealed that employees’ perceptions of fairness affected their likelihood to perform organizational citizenship behaviors. One implication of this finding is that employees’ perceptions of fairness may have a more enduring effect, in comparison to their mood, on increasing their extra role work behaviors. However, a close evaluation of the mood manipulation technique suggests that further research is needed before any firm conclusions can be made on the relative effect of empolyees’ perceived fairness and positive mood on OCB.     

Applicants' and Employees' Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Effects of First‐Party Justice Perceptions and Moral Identity

This research explored individuals’ reactions to perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) using a multimotive framework. In 2 studies, the authors explored the boundary conditions of CSR effects among job applicants and internal employees. A scenario‐based experiment (N = 81) showed that the effect of CSR perceptions on job applicants’ job pursuit intentions was mitigated by applicants’ first‐party justice experiences, whereas it was amplified by their moral identity (Study 1). Survey data from 245 full‐time employees (Study 2) further supported the interactive effects revealed in Study 1. Specifically, first‐party justice perceptions attenuated the positive relationship between employees’ CSR perceptions and their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and the relationship between CSR perceptions and OCB was more pronounced among employees high (versus low) in moral identity. Our findings bridge the CSR and organizational justice literatures, and reveal that the effects of individuals’ CSR perceptions are more complicated than previously thought. The findings shed light on micro (employee)‐level CSR phenomena and offer implications for both research and practice.     

服务业员工个人-组织匹配对组织公民行为的影响：有调节的中介模型

根据社会交换理论和人与情境互动理论,研究探讨了个人-组织匹配对员工组织公民行为的影响机制。通过对12家餐饮连锁店225位员工进行的问卷调查,结果表明：个人-组织匹配正向预测组织公民行为,员工工作敬业度在两者关系中起中介作用;此外,分别作为情境因素和个体因素的主管支持、员工主动性人格对个人-组织匹配与组织公民行为之间的关系具有调节作用。主管支持的程度越高,个人-组织匹配与组织公民行为的正向关系更强;而对于高主动性人格的员工,个人-组织匹配与组织公民行为之间的正向关系反而更弱。     

Change‐oriented organizational citizenship behaviour: An interactive product of openness to change values,work unit identification,and sense of power

Due to the increased frequency of organizational changes, predicting employees’ voluntary involvement in the development of organizational practices and individual work is of particular importance in organizational psychology. This study focused upon change‐oriented organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) as an expression of openness to change values, and also upon psychological factors that can moderate the value–behaviour relationship. We propose that personal values, group identification, and a sense of power interact in predicting change‐oriented OCB of employees. One hundred and eighty‐four employees rated their values, their identification with the work unit and their sense of power. In line with our predictions, the results showed that openness to change values and work unit identification interacted positively in predicting supervisor‐rated change‐oriented OCB in workers with a high sense of power, but not in workers with a low sense of power. This finding suggests that workers who have a high sense of power and are highly identified with the work unit tend to pursue their openness to change values in a way that contributes to the organization. The authors further conclude that an interactive approach, rather than one of direct effect, is advantageous when studying values as antecedents to change‐oriented OCB.     

The influence of Ratee Gender on Ratings of Organizational Citizenship Behavior1

Two studies were conducted to examine discrepancies in the evaluation of men and women regarding the performance of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). In Study 1, base‐rate differences in the perceived frequency and value of citizenship behaviors performed by males and females were investigated. A gender by job type interaction was found indicating that women were perceived to engage in OCB more frequently than were men in gender‐neutral and male‐typed jobs. No gender differences were found regarding the value associated with citizenship behaviors. In Study 2, undergraduates rated videotaped male and female instructors who exhibited different levels of OCB. Results revealed a gender by OCB interaction such that more accurate behavioral observations were made when observing males exhibiting OCB and females exhibiting no OCB than when observing males who did not exhibit OCB and females who did exhibit OCB. No gender by OCB interactions were found with regard to ratings of overall performance evaluation or reward recommendations.     

资质过剩感影响组织公民行为的情绪路径

本研究从员工情绪以及情绪调节的视角,考察了资质过剩感对员工组织公民行为的影响机制。通过对534名企事业员工的问卷调查数据进行分析,结果表明:员工的资质过剩感对其组织公民行为具有显著的消极作用;工作愤怒在资质过剩感与员工组织公民行为之间起部分中介作用;不同的情绪调节方式对员工资质过剩感与其工作愤怒的正向关系有不同的调节作用,认知重评方式有助于缓解资质过剩感对愤怒以及组织公民行为的消极影响,而表达抑制方式的调节作用恰恰相反。这一研究结果表明了情绪调节在工作领域中所发挥的作用,具有一定理论意义与实际价值。     

The influence of transformational leadership on organisational citizenship behaviour in a South African combat military unit

This study investigated perceived individual transformational leadership (TL) to influence behaviours on follower organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in a South African combat military unit. A sample of 300 of 567 military followers (males = 78%; black Africans = 82%) completed a survey on their perceptions of transformational leadership qualities among their leaders who were trained in TL: Idealised influence, Inspirational motivation, Intellectual stimulation and Individualised consideration. The military followers also self-reported on their own OCB: Altruism, Civic virtue, Courtesy, Sportsmanship and Conscientiousness. Data were analysed utilising regression analysis to predict military followers’ self-reported OCB from perceived TL behaviours. Findings indicated that only Individualised consideration could significantly predict the OCB dimensions of Altruism, Civic virtue, Sportsmanship and Conscientiousness, but not Courtesy.     

A meta-analysis of the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior

Job performance is increasingly being seen to encompass constructs such as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). To clarify the OCB-CWB relationship, a meta-analysis was conducted. Results indicate a modest negative relationship (p = -0.32). The relationship strength did not increase appreciably when the target of the behavior (the organization vs. other employees) was the same. Moreover, OCB and CWB exhibited somewhat distinct patterns of relationships with antecedents. The OCB-CWB relationship was moderated by the source of the ratings, the presence of antithetical items, and the type of response options. An employee-centric perspective is proposed whereby both OCB and CWB are perceived as adaptive behavior. Implications for organizations are discussed.     

Bridging Service Employees’ Perceptions of CSR and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Moderated Mediation Effects of Personal Traits

This study aims to examine how service employees’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) affect their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) at work and its mediated link through organizational identification. Another important purpose of this study is to see whether personal traits such as gender, age, and work experience moderate the relationship between the CSR perceptions of service employees and organizational identification. Using a sample of 250 frontline service employees at four five-star hotels in South Korea and employing a mediation model by way of structural equation modeling, we estimated the moderating effect of three personal traits - gender, age, and work experience - on the relationship between CSR perceptions of service employees and organizational identification. The CSR perceptions of service employees increase their organizational identification, which ultimately increases OCB. Moreover, organizational identification partially mediates the relationship between the CSR perceptions of service employees and OCB. Furthermore, the results of our study show that the positive relationship between the CSR perceptions of service employees and organizational identification are moderated by gender, age and work experience. Our study extends research in both the CSR and the OCB literature since we attempt to bridge the macro concept of CSR with the micro concept of OCB.     

Conscientiousness and reactions to psychological contract breach: a longitudinal field study

The authors examined the role of employee conscientiousness as a moderator of the relationships between psychological contract breach and employee behavioral and attitudinal reactions to the breach. They collected data from 106 newly hired employees within the 1st month of employment (Time 1), 3 months later (Time 2), and 8 months after Time 1 (Time 3) to observe the progression through contract development, breach, and reaction. Results suggest that conscientiousness is a significant moderator for 4 of the 5 contract breach-employee reaction relationships examined (turnover intentions, organizational loyalty, job satisfaction, and 1 of 2 facets of job performance). Specifically, employees who were lower in conscientiousness had more negative reactions to perceived breach with respect to turnover intentions, organizational loyalty, and job satisfaction. In contrast, employees who were higher in conscientiousness reduced their job performance to a greater degree in response to contract breach. Future research directions are discussed.     

Re-examining Citizenship: How the Control of Measurement Artifacts Affects Observed Relationships of Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Organizational Variables

We examined the impact that measurement artifacts (antithetical items that overlap counterproductive work behavior (CWB), agreement response, halo in supervisor ratings) in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) measures has on observed relationships between OCB and 15 predictors. Respondents were 146 employees and their supervisors who completed surveys that included OCB measures with and without artifacts. Predictors (conscientiousness, emotional stability, empathy, distributive justice, procedural justice, role ambiguity, role conflict, leader–member exchange, affective organizational commitment, job satisfaction, negative and positive emotion, turnover intention, CWB, and task performance) were chosen that related to OCB in prior meta-analyses. Results with the OCB scale with artifacts were consistent with meta-analyses, whereas results with the artifact-controlled OCB scale were not, suggesting that accepted conclusions about OCB’s relationships with many other variables should be reexamined.     

Individualism/collectivism and organizational citizenship behavior

Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) are workplace activities that exceed an employee's formal job requirements and contribute to the effective functioning of the organization. We explored the roles of the dispositional traits of individualism and collectivism in the prediction of OCB. The relationship was examined in the context of other constructs known to influence OCB, specifically, motives and identity as an organizational citizen. A total of 367 employees in 24 organizations completed surveys measuring individualism/collectivism, OCB motives, strength of organizational citizen role identity, and amount of OCB. The results showed collectivism to be a significant predictor of Organizational Concern and Prosocial Values motives, role identity, and OCB. Individualism predicted Impression Management motives and was a significant negative predictor of a role identity as one who helps others. The findings are discussed with regard to previous research in OCB.     

Rewarding Good Citizens: The Relationship Between Citizenship Behavior,Gender, and Organizational Rewards1

The relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and two organizational rewards—salary and promotion—was examined. Employee gender also was tested as a moderator. Data from 440 individuals employed in multiple settings indicated that individuals who reported engaging more frequently in OCB directed toward the organization (OCBO) also reported receiving more promotions. Further, results indicated that gender was a moderator such that the relationship between OCBO and promotion was stronger for males than for females. The results also revealed an interaction between OCB directed toward individuals (OCBI) and OCBO. Specifically, high OCBI and low OCBO related to lower promotion rates than did low OCBI and low OCBO. Results are discussed in terms of implications for individual career development.