Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Organizational Citizenship Behavior

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance

  • 145 Accesses

Synonyms

Civic organizational behavior; Extra-role behavior; Organizational spontaneity; Prosocial behavior

Definition

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is employee work behavior that is positive and beneficial to an organization, but is not specifically required in the job description. Organizational citizenship behavior is discretionary behavior that is not directly or formally compensated by the organization’s reward system. The behavior is truly extra-role behavior which, when performed by many individuals, improves the overall functioning of an organization. Examples of organizational citizenship behavior include volunteering for extra work, promoting the organization to outsiders, helping a coworker who is behind, or going out of the way to encourage or express appreciation to coworkers.

Introduction

Organizational citizenship behavior is an outcome of the discussion on whether or not there is a link between job satisfaction and job performance. From the 1950s to the...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 6,999.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Annen H, Goldammer P, Szvircsev Tresch T (2015) Longitudinal effects of organizational citizenship behavior on cadre selection and pursuing a career as militia cadre in the Swiss Armed Forces. Mil Psychol 27(1):9–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bambale AJ (2014) Relationship between servant leadership and organizational citizenship behaviors: review of literature and future research directions. J Mark Manag 5(1):1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Borman WC, Motowidlo SJ (1993) Expanding the criterion domain to include elements of contextual performance. In: Schmitt N, Borman WC et al (eds) Personnel selection in organizations. Josey-Bass, San Francisco, pp 71–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Borman WC, Penner LA, Allen TD, Motowidlo SJ (2001) Personality predictors of citizenship performance. Int J Sel Assess 9:52–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chuang C-H, Liao H (2010) Strategic human resource management in service context: taking care of business by taking care of employees and customers. Pers Psychol 63:153–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chun JS, Shin Y, Choi JN, Kim MS (2013) How does corporate ethics contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of collective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. J Manag 39:853–877

    Google Scholar 

  • Eatough E, Chang C, Miloslavic S, Johnson R (2011) Relationships of role stressors with organizational citizenship behavior: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 96(3):619–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George JM, Jones GR (1997) Organizational spontaneity in context. Hum Perform 10:153–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham JW (1991) An essay on organizational citizenship behavior. Empl Responsib Rights J 4:249–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyatt DE, Ruddy TM (1997) An examination of the relationship between work group characteristics and performance: once more into the breach. Pers Psychol 50:553–585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LePine JA, Erez A, Johnson DE (2002) The nature and dimensionality of organizational citizenship behavior: a critical review and meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 87:52–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma E, Qu H, Wilson M (2016) The affective and dispositional consequences of organizational citizenship behavior: a cross-cultural study. J Hosp Tour Res 40(4):399–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moorman RH, Blakely GL (1995) Individualism-collectivism as an individual difference predictor of organizational citizenship behavior. J Organ Behav 16(2):127–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison EW (1994) Role definitions and organizational citizenship behavior; the importance of the employee’s perspective. Acad Manag J 37:1543–1567

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mostafa A, Leon-Cazares F (2016) Public service motivation and organizational performance in Mexico: testing the mediating effects of organizational citizenship behaviors. Int J Public Adm 39(1):40–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW (1988a) A restatement of the satisfaction-performance hypothesis. J Manag 14(4):547–557

    Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW (1988b) Organizational citizenship behavior: the good soldier syndrome. Lexington Books, Lexington

    Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW (1990) The motivational basis of organizational citizenship behavior. In: Staw M, Cummintgs LL (eds) Research in organizational behavior, vol 12. JAI Press, Greenwich, pp 43–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW, Ryan K (1995) A meta-analytic review of attitudinal and dispositional predictors of organizational citizenship behavior. Pers Psychol 48:775–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW, Podsakoff PM, Mackenzie PM, Bradley S (2006) Organizational citizenship behavior: its nature, antecedents, and consequences. Sage, Thousand Oaks

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff PM, McKenzie SB (1994) Organizational citizenship behaviors and sales unit effectiveness. J Mark Res 31:351–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Paine JB, Bachrach DG (2000) Organizational citizenship behaviors: a critical review of the theoretical and empirical literature and suggestions for future research. J Manag 26(3):513–563

    Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff NP, Whiting SW, Podsakoff PM, Blume BD (2009) Individual- and organizational-level consequences of organizational citizenship behaviors: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 94(1):122–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith CA, Organ DW, Near JP (1983) Organizational citizenship behavior: its nature and antecedents. J Appl Psychol 68:653–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spector PE, Che XX (2014) Re-examining citizenship: how the control of measurement artifacts affects observed relationships of organizational citizenship behavior and organizational variables. Hum Perform 27:165–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vigoda-Gadot E, Beeri I (2011) Change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior in public administration: the power of leadership and the cost of organizational politics. J Public Adm Res Theory 22:573–596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner JM (1994) Dimensions that make a difference: examining the impact of in-role and extra-role behaviors on supervisory ratings. J Appl Psychol 79:98–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams LJ, Anderson SE (1991) Job satisfaction and organizational commitment as predictors of organizational citizenship and in-role behaviors. J Manag 17:601–617

    Google Scholar 

  • Yen HR, Niehoff BP (2004) Organizational citizenship behaviors and organizational effectiveness: examining relationships in Taiwanese banks. J Appl Soc Psychol 34:1617–1637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Wan D, Jia M (2008) Do high-performance human resource practices help corporate entrepreneurship? The mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior. J High Technol Manag Res 19:128–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA

    Juliana D. Lilly

Authors
  1. Juliana D. Lilly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juliana D. Lilly .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA

    Ali Farazmand

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Lilly, J.D. (2022). Organizational Citizenship Behavior. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66252-3_125

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation