Showing papers in "Journal of Organizational Behavior in 2011"

Antecedents of work–family conflict: A meta‐analytic review

Abstract: This study provides and meta-analytically examines an organizing framework and theoretical model of work–family conflict. Results, based on 1080 correlations from 178 samples, indicate that work role stressors (job stressors, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, time demands), work role involvement (job involvement, work interest/centrality), work social support (organizational support, supervisor support, coworker support), work characteristics (task variety, job autonomy, family friendly organization), and personality (internal locus of control, negative affect/neuroticism) are antecedents of work-to-family conflict (WFC); while family role stressors (family stressors, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, time demands, parental demands, number of children/dependents), family social support (family support, spousal support), family characteristics (family climate), and personality (internal locus of control, negative affect/neuroticism) are antecedents of family-to-work conflict (FWC). In addition to hypothesized results, a revised model based on study findings indicates that work role stressors (job stressors, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload) and work social support (organizational support, supervisor support, coworker support) are predictors of FWC; while family role stressors (family stressors, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload), family involvement (family interest/centrality), family social support (family support, spousal support), and family characteristics (family climate) are predictors of WFC. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The relation between emotional intelligence and job performance: A meta‐analysis

Abstract: This meta-analysis builds upon a previous meta-analysis by (1) including 65 per cent more studies that have over twice the sample size to estimate the relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and job performance; (2) using more current meta-analytical studies for estimates of relationships among personality variables and for cognitive ability and job performance; (3) using the three-stream approach for classifying EI research; (4) performing tests for differences among streams of EI research and their relationships with personality and cognitive intelligence; (5) using latest statistical procedures such as dominance analysis; and (6) testing for publication bias. We classified EI studies into three streams: (1) ability-based models that use objective test items; (2) self-report or peer-report measures based on the four-branch model of EI; and (3) “mixed models” of emotional competencies. The three streams have corrected correlations ranging from 0.24 to 0.30 with job performance. The three streams correlated differently with cognitive ability and with neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Streams 2 and 3 have the largest incremental validity beyond cognitive ability and the Five Factor Model (FFM). Dominance analysis demonstrated that all three streams of EI exhibited substantial relative importance in the presence of FFM and intelligence when predicting job performance. Publication bias had negligible influence on observed effect sizes. The results support the overall validity of EI. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Note: Correction added on 22 July 2010 after first publication online on 29 June 2010. The affiliations for Ronald H. Humphrey and Thomas H. Hawver have been corrected in this version of the article.

“Incivility, social undermining, bullying…oh my!”: A call to reconcile constructs within workplace aggression research

Abstract: Research in the field of workplace aggression has rapidly developed in the last two decades, and with this growth has come an abundance of overlapping constructs that fall under the broad rubric of workplace aggression While researchers have conceptually distinguished these constructs, it is unclear whether this proliferation of constructs is adding appreciably to our knowledge, or whether it is constraining the questions we ask In this paper, I consider five example constructs (ie, abusive supervision, bullying, incivility, social undermining, and interpersonal conflict) and argue that the manner in which we have differentiated these (and other) aggression constructs does not add appreciably to our knowledge of workplace aggression I then provide supplementary meta-analytic evidence to show that there is not a predictable pattern of outcomes from these constructs, and propose a restructuring of the manner in which we conceptualize workplace aggression Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Age and work‐related motives: Results of a meta‐analysis

Abstract: Summary An updated literature review was conducted and a meta-analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between age and work-related motives. Building on theorizing in life span psychology, we hypothesized the existence of age-related differences in work-related motives. Specifically,we proposedan age-related increase in thestrengthof securityandsocial motives, and an age-related decrease in the strength of growth motives. To investigate life span developmental theory predictions about age-related differences in control strategies, we also examinedthe relationship between age and intrinsic and extrinsic motives.Consistent with our predictions, meta-analytic results showed a significant positive relationship between age and intrinsic motives, and a significant negative relationship between age and strength of growth and extrinsic motives. The predicted positive relation between age and strength of social and security motives was only found among certain subgroups. Implications of these findings for work motivation and life span theories and future research are discussed. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

: Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust

Abstract: Summary Although there have been recent theoretical advances in what is increasingly being recognized as authentic leadership, research testing possible mediating processes and the impact on grouplevel outcomes has not received attention. To help address this need, this study examined at the group level of analysis the role that collective psychological capital and trust may play in the relationship between authentic leadership and work groups’ desired outcomes. Utilizing 146 intact groups from a large financial institution, the results indicated a significant relationship between both their collective psychological capital and trust with their grouplevel performance and citizenship behavior. These two variables were also found to mediate the relationship between authentic leadership and the desired group outcomes, even when controlling for transformational leadership. Implications for future research and practice conclude the paper. Copyright # 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Age diversity, age discrimination climate and performance consequences—a cross organizational study

Abstract: This paper deals with the emergence of perceived age discrimination climate on the company level and its performance consequences. In this new approach to the field of diversity research, we investigated (a) the effect of organizational-level age diversity on collective perceptions of age discrimination climate that (b) in turn should influence the collective affective commitment of employees, which is (c) an important trigger for overall company performance. In a large-scale study that included 128 companies, a total of 8,651 employees provided data on their perceptions of age discrimination and affective commitment on the company level. Information on firm-level performance was collected from key informants. We tested the proposed model using structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures and, overall, found support for all hypothesized relationships. The findings demonstrated that age diversity seems to be related to the emergence of an age discrimination climate in companies, which negatively impacts overall firm performance through the mediation of affective commitment. These results make valuable contributions to the diversity and discrimination literature by establishing perceived age discrimination on the company level as a decisive mediator in the age diversity/performance link. The results also suggest important practical implications for the effective management of an increasingly age diverse workforce.

Organizational identification: Extending our understanding of social identities through social networks†

Abstract: Summary Although organizational identification is founded on social identity and symbolic interactionist theories, current theories emphasize a social identity whereby organizational members categorize themselves and others based on roles and membership in an organization or work unit. In contrast symbolic interactionism, which resides in interpersonal relationships, is rarely theorized or empirically assessed in studies of organizational identification. We use survey data collected at an academic institution to explore how the strength and structure of an individual’s social network both directly influences organizational identification as well as moderates the relation between social identity, or categorical, antecedents and organizational identification. Our results show that the size of an individual’s network as well as the interaction between relationship strength and prestige better explain organizational identification than do antecedents based solely on categorization and social comparison processes. Thus networks of relationships, which have been a foundational but much neglected premise and process for organizational identification, are brought back into a theory of organizational identification. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A within‐individual study of interpersonal conflict as a work stressor: Dispositional and situational moderators

Abstract: Summary Focusing on interpersonal conflict as a work stressor, the authors used a within-subjects research design to examine the effect of conflict episodes on employees’ negative affect on the job. The roles of agreeableness and social support in moderating the negative effects of conflict episodes were also examined. A two-week experience-sampling study revealed that interpersonal conflict influenced employees’ intraindividual fluctuations in negative affect. As predicted, agreeableness and social support influenced individuals’ patterns of affective responses to conflict, such that conflict was more strongly associated with negative affect for agreeable employees, and for thosewith lower levels of social support at work. Overall, the results suggest that both personality (agreeableness) and context (social support) significantly moderate the affective implications of interpersonal conflict at work. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Predicting employee engagement in an age‐diverse retail workforce

Abstract: The news that the early retirement trend has been reversed and current older workers plan to work past conventional retirement ages has been widely heralded. Managers have been encouraged to make adjustments to differences in job conditions that are important to older workers. We use social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity as a framework for examining six dimensions of job quality for their impact on employee engagement among several groups of older and younger workers at different points in the cycle of their careers in a large retail setting. Employees (N = 6047) were surveyed as part of a large-scale research project. Exploratory factor analyses identified commonalities among 27 job quality variables and four reliable factors. Regression analyses estimated the relationship between four job conditions and employee engagement. Although the relative weights of the factors differed by career stage, the same factors: (1) Supervisor Support and Recognition; (2) Schedule Satisfaction; and (3) Job Clarity were significant predictors of employee engagement for all age groups; (4) Career Development was a predictor for all but the retirement-eligible employees. Findings reveal the importance of recognizing age diversity among both young and old employees. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Task type as a moderator of positive/negative feedback effects on motivation and performance: A regulatory focus perspective

Abstract: Applying Higgins' regulatory focus theory, we hypothesized that the effect of positive/negative feedback on motivation and performance is moderated by task type, which is argued to be an antecedent to situational regulatory focus (promotion or prevention). Thus, first we demonstrated that some tasks (e.g., tasks requiring creativity) are perceived as promotion tasks, whereas others (e.g., those requiring vigilance and attention to detail) are perceived as prevention tasks. Second, as expected, our tests in two studies of the moderation hypothesis showed that positive feedback increased self-reported motivation (meta-analysis across samples: N = 315, d = 0.43) and actual performance (N = 55, d = 0.67) among people working on promotion tasks, relative to negative feedback. Positive feedback, however, decreased motivation (N = 318, d = −0.33) and performance (N = 55, d = −0.37) among individuals working on prevention tasks, relative to negative feedback. These findings suggest that (a) performance of different tasks can affect regulatory focus and (b) variability in positive/negative feedback effects can be partially explained by regulatory focus and task type. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Maintaining a focus on opportunities at work : The interplay between age, job complexity, and the use of selection, optimization, and compensation strategies

Abstract: The concept of focus on opportunities describes how many new goals, options, and possibilities employees believe to have in their personal future at work. This study investigated the specific and shared effects of age, job complexity, and the use of successful aging strategies called selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) in predicting focus on opportunities. Results of data collected from 133 employees of one company (mean age = 38 years, SD = 13, range 16–65 years) showed that age was negatively, and job complexity and use of SOC strategies were positively related to focus on opportunities. In addition, older employees in high-complexity jobs and older employees in low-complexity jobs with high use of SOC strategies were better able to maintain a focus on opportunities than older employees in low-complexity jobs with low use of SOC strategies.

Attribution theory in the organizational sciences: A case of unrealized potential

Abstract: We argue that although attributional processes appear to affect virtually all goal and reward oriented behavior in organizations, they have not received adequate attention in the organizational sciences. In this Incubator, we encourage scholars to unlock the potential of attribution theory to develop more complete explanations of organizational behavior.

Thinking, feeling and deciding: The influence of emotions on the decision making and performance of traders

Abstract: We report on a qualitative investigation of the influence of emotions on the decision making of traders in four City of London investment banks, a setting where work has been predominantly theorized as dominated by rational analysis. We conclude that emotions and their regulation play a central role in traders' decision making. We find differences between high and low performing traders in how they engage with their intuitions, and that different strategies for emotion regulation have material consequences for trader behavior and performance. Traders deploying antecedent-focused emotional regulation strategies achieve a performance advantage over those employing primarily response-focused strategies. We argue that, in particular, response-focused approaches incur a performance penalty, in part because of the reduced opportunity to combine analysis with the use of affective cues in making intuitive judgments. We discuss the implications for our understanding of emotion and decision making, and for traders' practice.

What makes a creative day? A diary study on the interplay between affect, job stressors, and job control.

Abstract: Applying a within-person perspective to research on creativity at work, this diary study examined daily positive and negative affect (NA) in the morning as well as daily job stressors (time pressure and situational constraints) as predictors of daily creativity. In addition, the general level of job control was investigated as a cross-level moderator in these relationships. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 90 interior architects (N = 326 days) who completed a general survey and two daily surveys over the course of one work week. Hierarchical linear modeling showed that a higher level of positive affect (PA) in the morning as well as an intermediate level of daily time pressure was related to higher daily creativity. Job control moderated relations between daily NA, daily situational constraints and daily time pressure (curvilinear effect) with daily creativity. Our results stress the importance of daily affect and daily job stressors as well as the moderating role of job control for daily creativity at work. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An experience sampling investigation of workplace interactions, affective states, and employee well-being.

Abstract: We report an experience sampling study examining the within-individual effects of workplace interpersonal interaction characteristics on affect at work and daily well-being. A sample of 60 full-time employees completed measures of interpersonal interaction characteristics and affective states during each of 10 workdays and a measure of job satisfaction at the end of each workday. Overall, the employees provided 380 day-level data points. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results indicated that interpersonal interaction characteristics were associated with affective states and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the effects of workplace interpersonal interactions on job satisfaction were mediated by affective states. Finally, positive affect mitigated the detrimental association between negative affect and job satisfaction. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Learning from errors: The role of context, emotion, and personality

Abstract: This research focused on the relationship between negative emotionality and learning from errors Specifically, negative emotionality was expected to impair learning from errors by decreasing motivation to learn Perceived managerial intolerance of errors was hypothesized to increase negative emotionality, whereas emotional stability was proposed to decrease negative emotionality All the hypotheses were tested in a laboratory simulation Contrary to the prediction, a positive association was found between negative emotionality and motivation to learn The effects of perceived managerial intolerance of errors and emotional stability on negative emotionality were as predicted Moreover, exploratory data analyses were conducted at the level of specific negative emotions and revealed differentiated effects of specific negative emotions on learning from errors Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Person-organization and person-supervisor fits: Employee commitments in a Chinese context

Abstract: Summary The present study simultaneously examined people’s perceptions of person–organization (PO) and person– supervisor (PS) fit and related these perceptions to employees’ commitments. Three-hundred-and-sixty employee–supervisor dyads from Taiwanese organizations reported about their PO fit and PS fit perceptions. In addition, supervisors reported about their perceptions of fit and guanxi with each of their employees. Results indicated that PO and PS fit perceptions both had an independent and additive relationship with organizational commitment. The link between employee PS fit perceptions and organizational commitment was mediated by commitment to the supervisor. Both employee and supervisor fit perceptions contributed to commitment to the supervisor through their influence on the quality of the leader-member exchange (LMX). Guanxi could not explain additional variance in LMX and supervisor commitment. Implications for theory and practices regarding person–environment fit, commitment, and LMX are discussed. The study findings offered suggestions for a new Theory of Multiple Fits. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Best-practice recommendations for estimating interaction effects using meta-analysis

Abstract: One of the key advantages of meta-analysis (i.e., a quantitative literature review) over a narrative literature review is that it allows for formal tests of interaction effects—namely, whether the relationship between two variables is contingent upon the value of another (moderator) variable. Interaction effects play a central role in organizational science research because they highlight boundary conditions of a theory: Conditions under which relationships change in strength and/or direction. This article describes procedures for estimating interaction effects using meta-analysis, distills the technical literature for a general readership of organizational science researchers, and includes specific best-practice recommendations regarding actions researchers can take before and after data collection to improve the accuracy of substantive conclusions regarding interaction effects investigated meta-analytically. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A case for recognizing distinctions among constructs that capture interpersonal mistreatment in work organizations

Abstract: Leading organizational behavior scholars have argued that construct proliferation threatens the interpretability of interpersonal mistreatment research and have argued that researchers should employ the same terminology to refer to constructs that have been studied under distinct labels (e.g., bullying, deviance, retaliation, abuse, undermining). We argue that most of the construct labels researchers regularly employ capture meaningful theoretical differences, although the corresponding measures often fail to capture the distinctive features of mistreatment constructs. We further argue that a more immediate threat to the interpretability of research in this area is that scholars have overlooked the distinctions among the individual forms of mistreatment that comprise extant operational definitions. We offer recommendations for addressing what we perceive to be the major limitations of current interpersonal mistreatment research. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How long do you benefit from vacation? A closer look at the fade-out of vacation effects

Abstract: This study adds to research on the beneficial effects of vacation to employees' well-being and on the fade-out of these effects. One hundred and thirty-one teachers completed questionnaires one time before and three times after vacationing. Results indicated that teachers' work engagement significantly increased and teachers' burnout significantly decreased after vacation. However, these beneficial effects faded out within one month. Applying hierarchical regression analyses, we investigated the fade-out of vacation effects in detail. In line with the Job Demands-Resources model, job demands after vacation sped up the fade-out of beneficial effects. Additionally, leisure time relaxation experiences after vacation delayed the fade-out of beneficial effects. We conclude that reducing job demands and ensuring leisure time relaxation can prolong relief from vacation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Perceived organizational membership and the retention of older workers

Abstract: Drawing on the perceived organizational membership theoretical framework and the group-value justice model, we developed and tested a model predicting older workers' intention to remain with their organization. We hypothesized that human resource practices targeted to older workers would be related to perceived insider status through how older workers perceived their supervisor managed these practices (perceived procedural and interpersonal justice). We also hypothesized that perceived insider status would mediate the relationship between perceived contribution and intention to remain. We conducted two studies to test the hypothesized model. Study 1 participants (N = 236) were a diverse group of older workers and Study 2 participants (N = 420) were older registered nurses. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for the hypothesized model. All of the hypothesized relationships were significant in Study 2 and all except one were significant in Study 1. Older workers will want to remain a member of their organization when their organization engages in practices tailored to the needs of older workers, their supervisor implements these practices fairly, and their organization conveys that it values the contribution of its older workers thereby fostering a strong sense of belonging. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Who and what is fair matters: A multi‐foci social exchange model of creativity

Abstract: To better understand the role of fairness in creativity, we developed and tested a multi-foci social exchange model of creativity. Specifically, we examined the effect of both the organization and supervisor as distinct sources of interpersonal and informational justice types on creativity through the mediating mechanisms of trust and social exchange relationships. The data were collected from 205 employees and their supervisors at a large chemical engineering plant in India. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model. Results show that both interpersonal and informational justice types influence creativity via different mechanisms but both justice types were not equally important for employee creativity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Balancing cognition and emotion: Innovation implementation as a function of cognitive appraisal and emotional reactions toward innovation

Abstract: Focusing on the role of emotions in understanding employee behavior, the present study identifies employees' emotional reactions toward innovation as a mediating process that explains the effects of institutional environment on collective innovation use in work units. We further employed the appraisal theory of emotion and affective events theory (AET) to conceptualize the relationships between cognitions and emotions involving innovation. This expanded conceptual model was tested using multi-source data from 1150 employees and managers of 81 branches of a Korean insurance company that were implementing a new practice called Life-Long Learning. Two contextual factors (management involvement and training for innovation) significantly predicted employees' collective cognitive appraisal of the innovation (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use). Collective cognitive appraisal in turn predicted employees' positive and negative emotions toward the innovation, which completely mediated the effects of contextual factors and cognitive appraisal on implementation effectiveness (consistent and committed use of the innovation in the branch). This study highlights the critical role of emotions in the context of innovation implementation, and shows the need for greater attention to emotional processes in examining organizational innovations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Diversity and organizational innovation: The role of employee involvement

Abstract: This study examined the interactive effects of workplace diversity and employee involvement on organizational innovation. Using a sample of 182 large Canadian organizations, we found a three-way interaction between level of employee involvement, variation in involvement, and racioethnic diversity on innovation. In organizations with high levels of employee involvement, high variation in involvement was associated with higher involvement levels among racioethnic minorities, resulting in a stronger association between diversity and innovation. Furthermore, the association between White employee involvement and innovation was significantly more positive under the condition of high involvement among racioethnic minority group members. Thus, ensuring high levels of involvement among members of historically marginalized racioethnic groups enhances the innovation effects of employee empowerment systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Age as moderator of the relationship of proactive personality with training motivation, perceived career development from training, and training behavioral intentions

Abstract: Based on changes in motivation thought to occur across the lifespan, we investigated whether age would moderate the relationship between proactive personality and three training-related variables: training motivation, perceived career development from training, and training behavioral intentions. A survey was completed by 252 municipal government employees. As hypothesized, participants' age moderated the relationship between proactive personality and these outcomes. Specifically, there was generally a more positive relationship between proactive personality and the outcomes for younger participants than for older participants. Our discussion focuses on implications for training in organizations and recommendations for practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing longitudinal change of and dynamic relationships among role stressors, job attitudes, turnover intention, and well-being in neophyte newcomers

Abstract: Using a latent growth modeling (LGM) approach, this paper examines the trajectories of change in role stressors (ambiguity, conflict, and overload), job attitudes (affective commitment and job satisfaction), and turnover intention and psychological well-being among neophyte newcomers, as well as the relationships among these changes. Based on a sample of 170 university alumni surveyed three times during the first months of employment, we found that role conflict and role overload increased, affective commitment and job satisfaction declined, and turnover intention increased over the course of the study. Role ambiguity and well-being did not change. The initial levels of affective commitment, job satisfaction, and well-being were positively related to the increase in role overload, while the initial level of turnover intention was related to a reduced increase in role overload over time. We also found that the increase in role overload and role conflict was associated with a decline in affective commitment and job satisfaction, respectively, and that the decrease in affective commitment and satisfaction was related to an increase in turnover intention. We discuss the implications of these findings

Stability, change, and the stability of change in daily workplace affect

Abstract: Daily affect often is determined by unpredictable events, but also has predictable components. We describe how the simultaneous modeling of overall affect level, cyclical variation in affect, and the occurrence of affective events can provide a clearer understanding of how affective well-being fluctuates over time. We examined intrinsic task motivation as a positive affective event, and had an opportunity to examine a single large negative affective event as well. Specifically, data collection was interrupted by a hurricane which made landfall very close to the data collection site, disrupting the lives of employees for weeks or months. We hypothesized that affect spin—an individual difference measure of variability in the affect circumplex—would increase reactions both to positive and negative affective events. These ideas were examined with 65 employees who provided daily ratings of affect for 21 days. Positive affect was influenced by several factors, whereas negative affect was less predictable. Affect spin moderated many of the dynamic components of daily positive affect, largely supporting the notion that affect spin reflects sensitivity both to positive and negative affective events. Discussion centers on the utility of incorporating dynamic accounts of affect in the study of well-being and work. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

I owe you one: Coworker reciprocity as a moderator of the day‐level exhaustion–performance relationship

Abstract: This research extends the literature on well-being and performance behavior by looking at how daily fluctuations in employee exhaustion impact performance behaviors. Specifically, we tested a model based on conservation of resources theory (COR) where we predicted that daily fluctuations in exhaustion would be positively associated with organizational citizenship behaviors targeted at coworkers (OCB-I) but negatively associated with in-role performance and organizational citizenship behaviors targeted at the organization (OCB-O); further, we predicted that these relationships would be stronger for employees who perceived a lack of reciprocity in their relationship such that they contributed less or gained more than their coworker (called positive inequity). In two studies including a total of 354 employees from a variety of industries over five time periods over the duration of a week, we found support for the positive relationship between exhaustion and OCB-I, the negative relationships between of exhaustion and in-role performance and OCB-O, as well as the moderation effect of reciprocity. We discuss the implications of this finding for the manner in which employees strategically invest their resources in order to regain their well-being. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Integrating attachment style, vigor at work, and extra‐role performance

Abstract: This paper presents and tests a model of the impact of secure and insecure attachment styles (secure, counterdependent, and overdependent) on citizenship behavior and workplace deviance behavior through vigor at work. Employees who exhibit secure attachment styles are proposed to exhibit more vigor at work because of more effective use of physical, emotional, and cognitive resources which translates into increased organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and decreased deviance. Insecurely attached employees are hypothesized to exhibit the opposite pattern. In a sample of 331 repair generalists in a large building facilities and maintenance organization, results indicate that attachment styles indirectly predicted OCBs and deviance through vigor. Implications of these results for attachment style, vigor at work, OCBs, and deviance are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Understanding daily citizenship behaviors: A social comparison perspective

Abstract: Research that has sought to understand why employees engage in organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) has concentrated on between-person variables, typically ignoring intraindividual influences. Accordingly, we know much about who engages in OCB, in general, but know relatively little regarding under what circumstances people engage in OCB. By integrating social comparison with affective events and just-world theories, we propose and test a dynamic model wherein directional social comparisons are expected to have direct (automatic-motivational) and indirect (affective) intraindividual effects on OCB. The hypotheses were tested using multilevel modeling on 1076 observations from 99 participants that were collected via an interval-contingent experience sampling methodology. The results provide support for the hypotheses that social comparisons are related to OCB through positive affect and the direct effects of social comparisons on OCB are moderated by beliefs in a just world. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.