Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) is extra-role behaviour that is not formally required by organizations, but benefits the organization and its members (Organ, 1988). OCB is considered to be a core dimension of job performance (Rotundo & Sackett, 2002) with research showing that OCB contributes to the health and productivity of organizations (e.g., Podsakoff, Whiting, Podsakoff, & Blume, 2009). As a result, both organizational researchers and organizations have long been interested in understanding the origins of this behaviour. However, research into the antecedents of OCB has important limitations. Notably, this research has conceptualized OCB as a static construct, which recent theorizing and research indicates is an inaccurate assumption (e.g., Beal, Weiss, Barros, & MacDermid, 2005; Ilies, Scott, & Judge, 2006). Additionally, OCB research has relied on a single theoretical framework, social exchange theory, to explain previous findings, creating narrowness in the field. The current dissertation sought to address these important limitations by conceptualizing OCB as a dynamic construct (i.e., one that has sizable day-to-day within-person variability) and examining the ability of state gratitude, a novel and theoretically relevant antecedent, to predict OCB. Drawing on the Moral Affect Model of gratitude, Affective Events Theory, and Broaden and Build Theory, I propose that state gratitude is an important driver of day-to-day fluctuations in OCB. In two daily diary studies, my findings revealed that, as predicted, dynamic fluctuations in OCB were significantly predicted by state gratitude. Additionally, in the second of two daily diary studies, state gratitude was successfully induced by a “count your blessings” task and state gratitude was found to be a significant mediator of the induction and OCB. Overall, the results lend support to the notion that OCB is dynamic and that state gratitude, a discrete positive emotion, can be an effective driver of OCB.

Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) is extra-role behaviour that is not formally required by organizations, but benefits the organization and its members (Organ, 1988). OCB is considered to be a core dimension of job performance (Rotundo & Sackett, 2002) with research showing that OCB contributes to the health and productivity of organizations (e.g., Podsakoff, Whiting, Podsakoff, & Blume, 2009). As a result, both organizational researchers and organizations have long been interested in understanding the origins of this behaviour. However, research into the antecedents of OCB has important limitations. Notably, this research has conceptualized OCB as a static construct, which recent theorizing and research indicates is an inaccurate assumption (e.g., Beal, Weiss, Barros, & MacDermid, 2005; Ilies, Scott, & Judge, 2006). Additionally, OCB research has relied on a single theoretical framework, social exchange theory, to explain previous findings, creating narrowness in the field. The current dissertation sought to address these important limitations by conceptualizing OCB as a dynamic construct (i.e., one that has sizable day-to-day within-person variability) and examining the ability of state gratitude, a novel and theoretically relevant antecedent, to predict OCB. Drawing on the Moral Affect Model of gratitude, Affective Events Theory, and Broaden and Build Theory, I propose that state gratitude is an important driver of day-to-day fluctuations in OCB. In two daily diary studies, my findings revealed that, as predicted, dynamic fluctuations in OCB were significantly predicted by state gratitude. Additionally, in the second of two daily diary studies, state gratitude was successfully induced by a “count your blessings” task and state gratitude was found to be a significant mediator of the induction and OCB. Overall, the results lend support to the notion that OCB is dynamic and that state gratitude, a discrete positive emotion, can be an effective driver of OCB.

This study argues that knowledge sharing behaviour is a kind of organizational citizenship behaviour and that as such (i) the two should be strongly positively correlated and that (ii) strong predictors of organizational citizenship behaviour should also strongly predict knowledge sharing behaviour. Since the organizational behaviour literature identifies job satisfaction and organizational commitment as robust predictors of organizational citizenship behaviour, the study investigated the interrelationships among knowledge sharing behaviour, organizational citizenship behaviour, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The study employed a correlational survey design, sourcing the empirical data from secondary school teachers in a number of schools in and around Gaborone, Botswana. As expected, knowledge sharing behaviour and organizational citizenship behaviour were significantly positively correlated, organizational commitment was a significant predictor of organizational citizenship behaviour, and job satisfaction and organizational commitment were significantly positively correlated. Contrary to expectations, however, both job satisfaction and organizational commitment were unrelated to knowledge sharing behaviour. Not all study hypotheses were supported, and as such, it would be premature to conclude, on the strength of the evidence presented in this thesis, that knowledge sharing behaviour indeed is a kind of organizational citizenship behaviour. Nevertheless, the positive correlation between knowledge sharing behaviour and organizational citizenship behaviour would seem to suggest that the role of organizational citizenship behaviour in organizational knowledge sharing is worth investigating further. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Information Science / unrestricted

Syftet med föreliggande uppsats är att undersöka om kommunala chefstjänstemän som delar politisk åsikt med kommunens styrande politiker i högre utsträckning än andra chefer också ”gör det lilla extra” på arbetet. Syftet är även att se om det är tillit till de styrande politikerna snarare än politiska åsikter som är viktigast för att förklara benägenheten att göra det lilla extra på arbetet. Detta undersöks genom att studera beteenden, prestation och engagemang på arbetet. Urvalet bestod av chefen för utbildningsförvaltningen (eller motsvarande) i Sveriges samtliga kommuner och undersökningen baserades på data insamlat med hjälp av webenkäter under hösten 2014. Av logistiska regressionsanalyser framgår att det verkar vara tillit till styrande politiker snarare än politiska åsikter som styr kommunala chefstjänstemäns benägenhet att göra det lilla extra på arbetet. Detta ger stöd åt teorin om socialt utbyte, d.v.s. att chefstjänstemännen ”i utbyte” mot politikers hänsyn och omtanke, utför beteenden som går i linje med politikernas preferenser. Det är dock möjligt att kommunala chefstjänstemän utnyttjar sin makt över politiska processer för att gynna preferenser som inte är kopplade till politisk syn. Det kan exempelvis handla om att gynna andra gruppers preferenser eller att förbättra vissa gruppers position i samhället. Det är ett uppdrag för framtida forskning att undersöka om så är fallet.

I en alltmer globaliserad värld där utbudet av produkter ökar är det svårt att skapa ett starkt och hållbart varumärke på marknaden. Då det idag finns få verktyg och koncept inom intern varumärksuppbyggnad har jag valt att undersöka hur varumärket kan stärkas inifrån och ut. I studien har jag tittat närmare på begreppet Brand citizenship behaviour, ett område som är relativt nytt och bygger på den anställdes inverkan på varumärket. En explorativ fallstudie har genomförts för att undersöka vilka berättelser som återges i ämnet. Detta genom att ha intervjuat sju anställda på företaget Saltå kvarn. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån teorier som handlar om Brand citizenship behaviour, Organizational citizenship behaviour och organisationsteorier. Utifrån befintliga teorier och studiens analys har jag tagit fram en modell som kan användas av personer i ledande befattning och chefer. Denna kan brukas som ett verktyg för att främja ett Brand citizenship behaviour på arbetsplatsen och vidare uppmuntra medarbetarna till personligt engagemang vilket påverkar företaget, varumärket och organisationen. Studien bidrar till ökad förståelse kring ämnet samt att den visar på den anställdes inverkan på varumärket, något som kan stärka hela företaget inifrån och ut. / In an increasingly globalized world where the supply of products increases, it is difficult to create a strong and sustainable brand in the market. Since there are currently few tools and concepts in the field of internal brand building I have chosen to study how the brand can be strengthened from the inside out. In the study, I have looked into the concept of Brand citizenship behavior, an area that is relatively new and is based on the employee's impact on the brand. An explorative case study was used to examine the stories reproduced in substance. This by interviewing seven employees at the company Saltå kvarn. The empirical material is analyzed from theories about Brand citizenship behavior, Organizational citizenship behavior and organizational theories. Based on existing theories and the study's analysis, I have developed a model that can be used by executive senior management and CEO’s. This can be used as a tool to promote Brand citizenship behavior in the workplace and encourage employees to further personal involvement, which affects the company, brand and organization. The study contributes to a better understanding about the subject and it shows on the employee's impact on the brand, something that can strengthen the whole company from the inside and out.

This graduation thesis focuses on the identification of key sources of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) which are present in a chosen organization. The outcome of this work contains a list of factors which have supporting or adverse effect on OCB usage. The thesis also includes recommendations for arrangements of the working environment which would increase the willingness of the employees to exhibit OCB.

<p>Using a social exchange perspective I develop a relationship typology based upon an organizational member’s psychological investments, or “side bets,” in his or her organization. This study thus examines, for the first time in the employee-organization exchange relationship (EOR) literature, the combined impact of perceptions that organizational members have with respect to their perceived social and economic investments in their organization. Specifically, outcomes of four unique EOR profiles are examined: “loyalist” (high social, high economic); “altruist” (high social, low economic); “captive” (low social, high economic); “mercenary” (low social, low economic). In a matched sample of 334 working professionals (167 employees matched with their corresponding supervisors), the hypotheses of this study are largely supported. Altruists are highest in their perceptions of organizational support, followed in descending order by the loyalists, mercenaries, and captives. Also as predicted, altruists are highest in affective commitment, followed in descending order by the loyalists, captives, and mercenaries. In terms of continuance commitment, contrary to prediction, loyalists have the highest levels of continuance commitment; however, as predicted, captives have higher levels than altruists and mercenaries. Altruists, as predicted, have the highest level of OCB, followed in descending order by loyalists, mercenaries, and captives. Finally, as predicted, mercenaries have the highest level of task performance followed in descending order by altruists, loyalists, and captives. Theoretical and practical considerations of these findings are discussed.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)