Date of Award

1996

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Management (Business Administration)

First Advisor

Kevin Mossholder

Second Advisor

H. N. Saurage

Abstract

Current day interest in acts of cooperation in organizations can be traced to classical writers such as Barnard (1938) and Roethlisberger and Dickson (1939), and more recently to Katz and Kahn(1966, 1978). Building on these foundations, considerable empirical research has examined what has been labeled organizational citizenship. Organizational citizenship behaviors are not specified in job descriptions or recognized by the organization's formal reward system. Yet, they are generally held to be essential to organizations in that they contribute to efficiency and effectiveness (Organ, 1988). Recently, researchers have called for the development of specific, mid-range theoretical models of organizational citizenship behavior (e.g., Barr & Pawar, 1995; Schnake, 1991; Van Dyne, Cummings, & McLean-Parks, 1995; Van Dyne, Graham, & Dienesch, 1994). The current study's focus is interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB), which has been identified as one of several distinct classes of organizational citizenship behavior (Barr & Pawar, 1995; McNeely & Meglino, 1994; Williams & Anderson, 1991). Although interpersonal forms of citizenship behavior have been studied in the literature (e.g., Bateman & Organ, 1983; Organ, 1988; Smith, Organ, & Near, 1983; Williams & Anderson, 1991), a standard research framework and nomological network of antecedents and intervening processes have not been developed (Van Dyne et al., 1995). Based on a theoretically conceived conceptual framework, a model outlining the relationships among individual and situational variables, intervening variables, and ICB was proposed and tested. Results offered qualified support for the model. More specifically, relationships based on exchange and status issues were found to have the most consistent direct and indirect effects on ICB. Also, as predicted, felt empathy mediated the relationships between situational variables and ICB. A revised theoretical model is presented and directions for future research are discussed.

ISBN

9780591288872

Pages

155

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.6372

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