Performance Perceptions of Organizational Citizenship Behaviours at Work: a Bi‐Level Study among Managers and Employees
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2005.00456.x |
| Author | David L. Turnipseed,Ali Rassuli |
| Published date | 01 September 2005 |
| Date | 01 September 2005 |
Performance Perceptions of
Organizational Citizenship Behaviours at
Work: a Bi-Level Study among Managers
and Employees
David L. Turnipseed and Ali Rassuli
School of Business and Management Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort
Wayne, Indiana 46805-1499, USA
Email: Turnipse@ipfw.edu [Turnipseed]; Rassuli@ipfw.edu [Rassuli]
Organizational citizenship behaviours (OCB) are ‘extra-role’, work-directed actions
theorized to contribute to organizational effectiveness. However, the link between OCB
and performance is not firmly based on empirical study. First, we argue that managers
and employees may have different perceptions of OCB. The level of OCB will be
perceived to be higher by managers than by employees. Second, we suggest that ‘best’
performing employees will have higher levels of OCB, and a stronger OCB–
performance linkage than ‘worst’ performers. Using a sample of unionized workers
and their managers, we investigated perceptions of OCB and the magnitude of OCB
performance relationships from two hierarchical levels: managers and employees. ‘Best’
performing employees scored higher on OCB, and had a stronger OCB–performance
linkage than the ‘worst’ performing group for helping-type OCBs. Managers scored
employees lower on OCB than employees scored their peers. In addition, managers
perceived a stronger OCB–performance link than employee respondents. The results
provide new and pragmatic implications of the OCB construct, including managerial
clarification of ‘extra’ versus expected behaviours, review of job descriptions, moving
valuable OCBs from ‘extra-role’ to expected, and enhancing OCB by providing
rewards. We suggest further causal studies to determine the specific contributions of
various OCBs, identification and management of workplace antecedents of OCB, and
determination of the reasons for the bi-level differences in perceptions.
Organizations comprise individuals whose beha-
viours range from the minimalists, who contri-
bute the least possible to maintain membership,
to others who go the ‘extra mile’, discretionarily
engaging in extra-role behaviours advantageous
to the organization. These ‘extra’ work-related
behaviours, which are beyond those prescribed
by job descriptions and measured by formal
evaluations, are named organizational citizenship
behaviours, or OCB (Bateman and Organ, 1983).
Because OCBs are ‘extra’ and beyond the
requirements that are specified in advance for a
particular job (Bateman and Organ, 1983), they
cannot be enforced (Organ, 1988a), nor can their
absence be formally penalized (Van Dyne, Cum-
mings and Parks, 1995).
Cooperation with peers, personal initiatives
and performing extra duties without complaint
are examples of OCB (Bateman and Organ, 1983;
Organ and Konovsky, 1989; Smith, Organ and
Near, 1983). Other examples are punctuality,
helping others, volunteering (Organ, 1988a),
innovation and using time efficiently (Smith,
Organ and Near, 1983), not wasting resources,
sharing ideas, and representing the organization
favourably (Van Dyne, Graham and Dienesch,
British Journal of Management, Vol. 16, 231–244 (2005)
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8551.2005.00456.x
r2005 British Academy of Management
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