How to improve organisational citizenship behaviour by combining ability, motivation and opportunity. The moderator role of perceived organisational support

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/ER-04-2019-0169
Date22 November 2019
Pages398-416
Published date22 November 2019
AuthorRafael Morales-Sánchez,Susana Pasamar
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law
How to improve organisational
citizenship behaviour by combining
ability, motivation and opportunity
The moderator role of
perceived organisational support
Rafael Morales-Sánchez and Susana Pasamar
Department of Business Administration and Marketing,
Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the ability, motivation and
opportunity model, and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) as a result variable, using the perceived
organisational support (POS) as a moderator of this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses developed here are tested using data from a
sample of Spanish firms belonging to two industries: finance and hotels. These sectors were selected due
to the serious impact the recent financial crisis had on them, and because they may benefit from
extra-role behaviours.
Findings The results reveal that ability and motivation significantly influence the level of OCB.
POS also has a notable direct effect on OCB, as well as moderating in the relationship between opportunity
and OCB.
Originality/value The studys findings have some important lessons for practitioners and researchers
with an interest in OCB, showing how to improve these extra-role behaviours, which can be so necessary in
this post-crisis context.
Keywords Post-crisis, Organizational citizenship behaviour, AMO model, Perception of organizational support
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Over recent years, organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) has attracted the attention of
researchers and practitioners, who have analysed its antecedents and consequences
(Chih, and Lin, 2019; De Clercq and Belausteguigoitia, 2017; Podsakoff et al., 2000).
Nevertheless,the question of how to promote these extra-role employee behavioursin difficult
contexts is far from being resolved. OCB has become increasingly vital, particularly for
western firms thatare still dealing with the effects ofthe economic crisis. In that sense, when
an organisation iscoping with a difficult context, an employee maybe willing to work longer
hours to meet theneeds of the organisation to savecosts, without reward (Cheunget al., 2014).
However, as Jainet al. (2013) highlight, some managementinitiatives in organisationsmay not
be effectively implemented under high stressor conditions because employee extra-role work
behaviourand commitment may not be at fullcapacity. Moreover, althoughOCB is vital to the
performance of all organisations (Podsakoff and MacKenzie, 1997), the nature of service
organisations and the relevance of the relationship with customers make OCBs particularly
important (Sun et al., 2007; Borman and Motowidlo, 1993).
OCB is defined as individual behaviour that is discretionary, not directly or
explicitly recognized by the formal reward system,andthatintheaggregatepromotes
theeffectivefunctioningoftheorganisation(Organ,1988, p. 4). Therefore, OCB includes
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 42 No. 2, 2020
pp. 398-416
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-04-2019-0169
Received 4 April 2019
Revised 1 August 2019
23 September 2019
Accepted 25 September 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
This paper is supported by research project ECO2013-44274-P (Plan Nacional I+D).
398
ER
42,2
employeesbehaviours that go above and beyond the call of duty. These behaviours
are beneficial to the organisation and can contribute to performance and competitive
advantage, but are not directly recognised by the formal reward system (Sarikwal
and Gupta, 2013).
Much of the OCB research seeks to uncover the antecedents of this behaviour, the
factors that moderate or mediate its evolution once it has been established, and how such
behaviour affects organisational results (Podsakoff et al., 2000; Sun et al., 2007). Following
the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) model, the present research aims to
identify which human resources management (HRM) practices are best suited to develop
employeesextra-role behaviours.
The AMO model is a structured framework that provides understanding of the
relationship between HRM and performance (Marin-Garcia and Martinez-Tomas, 2016).
AMO theories hold that optimal performance arises from a combination of ability (A),
motivation (M) and opportunity (O) (Blumberg a nd Pringle, 1982; Cummings and Schwab,
1973; Tian et al., 2016). Previous research defines ability as the skills and proficiencies an
individual possesses to carry out a particular task (Rothschild, 1999). Motivation is also
relevant, as the degree to which an individual wants and chooses to engage in
certain specified behaviors(Mitchell, 1982, p. 82). Finally, opportunity consists of the
particular configuration of the field of forces surrounding a person and his or her task that
enables or constrains that persons task performance and that are beyond the persons
direct control(Blumberg and Pringle, 1982, p. 565). The main purpose of this study is to
analyse the relationship between AMO practices and OCB. Using the AMO model as an
antecedent of OCB makes it possible to distinguish which of the HRM practices are most
effective in promoting these behaviours. Although some studies analyse the relationship
between HRM practices and OCB, they do not consider these practices separately
(Snape and Redman, 2010) or do not present conclusive results (Tremblay, 2019). In an era
where work systems are changing and employment relationships are becoming more
dynamic and flexible, it is important to understand in depth the effects of HRM practices
on employeesattitudes and behaviours, especially those who are crucial for
organisational outcomes.
However, we consider that other factors couldalsobeinfluencingthepositiveeffectsof
human resource practices. Human resource practices may enhance A, M and O, and
are expected to encourage the perception of management support since they might be
understood by employees as a sign of investment in them, or even acknowledgement
of their contribution (Prieto and Pérez-Santana, 2014). Individual beliefs, such as
perceived organisational support (POS), might affect the implementation of these practices
and their subsequent outcomes. Employees form global beliefs concerning the extent to
which the organisation values their contributions and cares about their well-being.
If managers are concerned about their employeescommitment to the organisation,
in turn employees focus on the organisations commitment to them as a result of
social exchange. POS, therefore, is related to positive outcomes, such as affective
commitment, performance and lessened withdrawal behaviour (Hur et al., 2015; Rhoades
and Eisenberger, 2002).
This study makes several contributions to the existing literature. First, we analyse how
individual extra-role behaviours are influenced by human resource management practices
designed to encourage the development of individual skills, worker motivation, the
opportunity to participate in the organisation, and organisational support. In addition, we
find that the joint action of AMO practices and POS boosts the presence of these individual
extra-role behaviours. Moreover, this research is conducted with a sample of Spanish firms
from two industries that have been seriously affected by the recent financial crisis, and
where extra-role behaviours may be even more desirable.
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Organisational
citizenship
behaviour

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