Why and When Do Good Soldiers Behave Unethically? Introducing Conservation of Resources Theory to Explain the Curvilinear Effects of Organizational Citizenship Behavior.

Fangfang Xu,Shiyong Xu,Jinyi Zhou,Chunmeng Yang,Jinqiang Zhu,Bainan Zhang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.619657

Abstract

Previous research about organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) has produced contradictory results. Drawing from the conservation of resources (COR) theory, the present study tries to explain the contradictory findings by examining the curvilinear relationship between OCB and CWB. Using data collected at three time points from 426 employees and 110 supervisors in Chinese companies, data analysis shows that OCB has an inverted U-shaped relationship with CWB. The results also demonstrate that citizenship fatigue mediates the relationship between OCB and CWB, perceived organizational support (POS) moderates the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue. In addition, POS moderates the mediating effect of citizenship fatigue in the inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship between OCB and CWB. This mediating effect is stronger under conditions of low POS than high POS. The findings present a complementary explanation of the conflicting relationships between OCB and CWB.

Highlights

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) have been two of the most widely researched constructs in organizational behavior over the past 30 years (Organ, 2018; Yuan et al, 2018; Bauwens et al, 2019; Sypniewska, 2020; Wang et al, 2021)
perceived organizational support (POS) moderates the mediating effect of citizenship fatigue in the inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship between OCB and CWB, and the mediating effect is stronger under conditions of low POS than high POS
Confirmatory Factor Analysis Before testing our hypotheses, we conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) using Mplus 7.4 (Muthén and Muthén, 2012) to examine the measurement model specifying OCB, POS, citizenship fatigue and CWB as four separate factors

Summary

Introduction

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) have been two of the most widely researched constructs in organizational behavior over the past 30 years (Organ, 2018; Yuan et al, 2018; Bauwens et al, 2019; Sypniewska, 2020; Wang et al, 2021). OCB refers to employee behavior that goes beyond role requirements and contributes to organizational effectiveness but is often discretionary and not rewarded relative to in-role job performance, an example of OCB is helping colleagues (Organ, 1988, 1997; Smith et al, 1983). Individuals who engage in OCB may be referred to as “good soldiers” (Organ, 1988). CWB describes acts that are harmful to the organization by directly affecting its functioning or property, or by hurting employees in a way that reduces their effectiveness, such as being rude (Fox et al, 2001; Sackett, 2002). CWB is considered as a special kind of unethical behavior.

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