The Importance of Occupational Self-Efficacy Moderation on the Organizational Cynicism Forms and Employee Task and Contextual Performance Relationships

Abstract

Research Highlights
 The aim of this study is to provide an overview on occupational self-efficacy and their interrelationships between organizational cynicism forms (i.e. Cognitive /Affective / Behavioural) and employee job performance dimensions (i.e. Task / Contextual) in manufacturing and service sectors of Pakistan. The study proposed four hypotheses, examining direct and indirect relationships between variables. Data collection was done through self-administrated questionnaire (7-point Likert scale) using a multiphase non-probability sampling technique. From both service and manufacturing sectors of Pakistan in total 758 responses were collected. For statistical data analysis descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, univariate analysis and independent sample t- test were conducted. Results indicate that occupational self-efficacy significantly moderate the relationships between forms of organizational cynicism and task and contextual performance in service sector. However, in manufacturing sector, occupational self-efficacy shows strong moderation between affective-task relationship, moderate significant moderation between cognitive-task relationship and no moderation between behavioural-task relationship.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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 Research Objectives
 The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of organizational cynicism forms (i.e. Cognitive / Affective / Behavioral) and employee performance dimensions (i.e. Task / Contextual) in manufacturing and service sectors of Pakistan. This research study also explores the moderating impact of employee’s occupational self-efficacy on the relationships with forms of organizational cynicism and employee’s task and contextual performances. The differences existing in both organizational sectors in regard to occupational self-efficacy, forms of organizational cynicism and dimensions of employee performance variables is also studied in this paper. It is assumed by the researcher that if employees have low occupational self- efficacy and they have negative feelings about their organization, it can result in further reduction of his job performance (Vera, Salanova, & Lorente, 2012). As occupational self-efficacy is central to past experiences of employees, it is also logical that organizational cynicism can effect levels of occupational self-efficacy. Thus, the occupational self-efficacy and cynicism relationship is mutual (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010).  Based on differences at organizational and functional level in both sectors it can be predicted that occupational self-efficacy, organizational cynicism and employee job performance variates in service and manufacturing sectors (Othman, 1999; Jiang, 2009).
 Methodology
 The hypotheses were evaluated through data from banking, higher education and healthcare (i.e. Service sector), and cement, pharmaceutical and food (i.e. Manufacturing sector) organizations of Pakistan. Data was collected through self-administrative questionnaire and emails from six major cities of Pakistan. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to first-line and middle level employees. A multiphase non-probability sampling technique was utilized for data collection. In phase 1, organizations were selected through convenience sampling. In phase 2 of data collection, quota sampling was done (i.e. 10 survey forms per organization). The same technique was adopted by Munir, Ghafoor, & Rasli in 2016. In each sector almost 500 survey forms were distributed. After Cook’s distance and Central Leverage value method outliers from the data was removed, from manufacturing sector 365 (Response rate 73%) and from service sector 393 (Response rate 78.6%) complete questionnaires were received, therefore total response rate was 75.1% from both sectors. After establishing validity (Rotated Factor Matrix), reliability (Cronbach Alpha) and multicollinearity (VIF and Tolerance) of the scale; descriptive statistics (Mean and Standard Deviation), Pearson correlation analysis, univariate analysis and independent sample t-test were conducted.
 Results
 In both sectors, Occupational self-efficacy has positive correlation with employee task (Manufacturing r = .33; Service r = .42) and contextual performance (Manufacturing r = .29; Service r = .38). However, Occupational self-efficacy is negatively related with three forms of organizational cynicism in Manufacturing (Affective r = -.19; Cognitive r = -.13; Behavioral r = -.11) and service sector (Affective r = -.21; Cognitive r = -.18; Behavioral r = -.13). According to univariate analysis in manufacturing sector occupational self-efficacy, forms of organizational cynicism and their interactional products predicts 32% variation in contextual performance and 38% variation in task performance. However, in service sector, occupational self-efficacy, forms of organizational cynicism and their interactional products predicts 39% variation in contextual performance and 46% variation in task performance. In service sector, occupational self-efficacy significantly moderates the relationships between forms of organizational cynicism and task and contextual performance. Whereas, in manufacturing sector, occupational self-efficacy shows strong moderation between affective cynicism-task relationship, moderately significant moderation between cognitive cynicism-task relationship and no moderation between behavioral cynicism-task relationship. Results also indicates service sector employees have higher occupational self-efficacy, contextual and task performance as compared to manufacturing sector employees who reported higher organizational cynicism.
 Findings
 Findings indicate that in both sectors occupational self-efficacy had significant impact on the relationships between organizational cynicism and employee performance. Study concluded that in manufacturing sector occupational self-efficacy strongly moderate the cognitive cynicism and employee task performance relationship while within service sector occupational self-efficacy strongly moderate both cognitive and behavioral cynicism and employee task performance relationships. Study also provide evidence that in manufacturing sector occupational self-efficacy and forms of organizational cynicism has a moderate influence on employee contextual performance while within service sector occupational self-efficacy strongly moderate behavioral cynicism and employee contextual performance relationship.