A study examining the mediating role of group cohesion in the relationship between organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and its consequences: job satisfaction and perceived group performance
Summary
Antecedents of Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) has been widely investigated. The purpose of this graduation thesis is to investigate job satisfaction and group performance as outcomes of OCB. This study aims understand these relations by investigating the explanative role of group cohesion on the relations between OCB and its outcomes. We based our theorizing on the Self Determination Theory. This study was conducted in the Netherlands and data was collected through an online survey. 177 participants were included in the analysis. Using a mediation analysis, relations between OCB and job satisfaction and OCB and group performance were examined. The mediating effect of group cohesion was examined. All the hypotheses were found positively significant, except the OCB-group performance relationship. The results emphasize the beneficial effect of OCB on the individual-level on job satisfaction and on group-level outcomes (i.e. cohesion and performance). Hence, this study shed a light on groups cohesion as an explanation of these relations. As such, policymakers, CEO’s and supervisors should be aware of the team composition and dynamics with regards to establish cohesive teams, since these teams enhances performances and team member’s personal job satisfaction. In addition, we suggest that managers, leaders and supervisors should not reward but rather recognize someone’s effort and support their co-workers’ initiatives instead. In this way they let OCB flourish to its full potential.