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

Abstract

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. Matched surveys from 161 supervisor–subordinate dyads in a mid-sized financial company in China provided data for analysis. The subordinates completed measures of perceived organizational and individual instrumentalities, transformational leadership, and contingent-reward leadership. Supervisors rated subordinates’ OCB. Results revealed that perceived organizational instrumentality was related to and explained variance in OCB beyond perceived individual instrumentality. Moreover, perceived organizational and individual instrumentalities partially mediated between leadership (transformational leadership and contingent reward) and OCB. Elevating OCB-specific instrumentality beliefs and educating employees about the importance of OCB for the functionality and effectiveness of their work unit or organization can help promote OCB. Effective leadership can contribute to the development of stronger perceptions of organizational and individual instrumentalities, and lead to greater OCB. This study represents the first attempt to empirically examine perceived organizational instrumentality and consider both organizational and individual instrumentalities in mediating the association between leadership and OCB.