Reciprocating perceived organizational support through citizenship behaviors *.

Organizational viability in complex, fast-changing, and turbulent economic times requires employees willing to exceed the roles and responsibilities defined by formal job descriptions (Jordan and Sevastos, 2003). Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) can improve organizational performance and adaptability in environments demanding complex, ambiguous, and team-oriented work (Organ et al., 2005). Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB), defined as volitional extrarole behaviors not directly related to a specific task or job description, lead to improved customer and peer relationships, enhanced teamwork, operational flexibility, and competitiveness (Borman, 2004).

According to Organ et al. (2005), OCB are discretionary employee behaviors performed for the benefit of the organization or co-workers that exceed nominal job requirements and not formally recognized by the organization. Ryan queried, "why would an employee engage in work that enhances organizational performance, but is not necessarily recognized or rewarded by his or her employer" (2002: 123)? Ryan argued that personality characteristics, such as a Protestant work ethic, conscientiousness, or empathy explained OCB. Kidder and Parks (2001) contended that employee-defined roles and work-identity influenced OCB. However, Coyle-Shapiro, Kessler, and Purcell (2004) found that personality factors such as conscientiousness, positive or negative affectivity, or agreeableness failed to predict OCB. Job breadth explained only an additional 11% of the variation in OCB beyond that explained by perceptions of justice and organizational commitment (Coyle-Shapiro et al., 2004). Instead, the majority of researchers (Cardona et al., 2004; Coyle-Shapiro et al., 2004; Kaufman et al., 2001; Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002) pose OCB as a form of social exchange for positive treatment received from the organization.

This study explores the nature of social exchange by assessing if employees report OCB as an intended method to reciprocate acts of POS and justice. The study adds to the body of research on OCB antecedents by investigating the mediating effects of POS on the relationships between three dimensions of organizational justice (procedural, distributive, and interactive), and employee self-reported intentions to enact OCB directed at the organization or peers. The research question posed: Do employees acknowledge an exchange relationship between organizational attributes, such as perceived organizational support (POS) or justice, and their intentions to enact OCB.

This article begins with the purpose and background for the study. The article then overviews the key constructs of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB), perceived organizational support (POS), and three dimensions of organizational justice. Included is a discussion of issues associated with self-reported intentions to enact OCB. In the methods section, the article describes the sample, data collection procedure, and measurement instrument. Hypothesis testing and a review of results follow. The article closes with key findings, recommendations tot future research, and study limitations.

BACKGROUND

Social exchange occurs when a person, motivated by the returns those acts are anticipated to bring, voluntarily engages in acts beneficial to another (Blau, 1986). According to the norm of reciprocity, acts of helping are contingent on the expectation that the recipient will reciprocate with an act of helping in the future (Gouldner, 1960). Unlike contractual obligations, which demand repayment, social exchange creates unspecified reciprocal obligations enforced through cultural and normative standards of behaviors (Cropanzano and Mitchell, 2005). According to Organ and Konovsky (1989), employees perform OCB in anticipation that the organization will discharge its accrued obligations through increased employee rewards or other acts favorable to employees. In turn, organizations, with work environments advantageous to employees, create social and normative pressures on employees to reciprocate through behaviors valued by the organization (Eisenberger et al., 2001).

Essential to social exchange is a sense of trust that employees and the organization will discharge accrued obligations (Organ and Konovsky, 1989). Perceptions of justice influence employee perceptions of trust when organizational procedures, decision-making processes, and resource allocations are equitable (Organ and Konovsky, 1989). According to Cropanzana and Mitchell (2005), social exchange mediates the relationship between supportive and equitable treatment by the organization, and employee work effort, attitudes, and commitment. Moreover, perceived organizational support (POS) reflects the "quality of the social exchange that takes place between an employee and the employer" (Cropanzano and Mitchell, 2005: 883).

APPROACH

Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB)

Organ et al. defines OCB as "individual behavior that is discretionary, not directly or explicitly recognized by the formal reward system, and in the aggregate promotes the efficient and effective functioning of the organization" (2005: 8). Empirical and theoretical research demonstrates that OCB correlates with improvements in organizational performance (Organ et al., 2005; Podsakoff and MacKenzie, 1997). In a review of research, Organ et al. (2005) found that some OCB dimensions (i.e., helping and consciousness) correlated more strongly with performance than other dimensions (i.e., sportsmanship or civic virtue). L. J. Williams and Anderson (1991) found that employees directed some OCB at peers in the organization, such as helping or taking a personal interest in others, and directed other OCB at the organization, such as exemplary attendance, offering suggestions, participating in the life of the organization, or frugally using organizational resources.

Perceived Organizational Support (POS)

Perceived organizational support (POS) is an employee belief that the organization cares for and values his or her contribution to the success of the organization (Kaufman et al., 2001). Antecedents of POS include procedural justice, supportive and respectful acts by supervisors, recognition, fair pay and rewards, promotions, job security, autonomy, and training (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002). Consequences of heightened POS are increased organizational commitment, job satisfaction, positive affect, task interest, task performance, and intentions to remain with the organization (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002). Perceived organizational support (POS) encompasses policies promoting employee well-being and feelings of accomplishment, a sense of positive contribution to the organization, and personal and organizational goal attainment (Eisenberger et al., 2001).

Eisenberger et al. (1986), in two studies, correlated perceived organization support with increased employee efforts to attain organizational goals. Findings by Cardona et al. (2004) demonstrated that employees reporting higher POS had stronger social attachment to the organization, which then led to increased OCB. In contrast, Settoon, Bennett, and Linden (1996) failed to correlate POS with OCB. However, Moorman et al. (1998) argued that Settoon et al. failed to assess OCB directed at the organization. Studies by Kaufman et al. (2001) and Wayne et al. (2002) confirmed that POS correlated with OCB directed at the organization but not with OCB directed at peers. Suggested by this research are the following hypotheses:

[H.sub.1]: There is a positive correlation between employee self-reported perceptions of organizational support and self-reported employee intentions to enact OCB directed at the organization.

[H.sub.2]: There is no correlation between employee self-reported perceptions of organizational support and self-reported employee intentions to enact OCB directed at peers.

Organizational Justice

Organizational justice encompasses three dimensions: interactive, procedural, and distributive justice (Williams et al., 2002). Organizations convey a sense of concern for employee well-being and their contribution to organizational success when rewards and resources are fairly distributed (distributive justice), decision-making procedures are equitable (procedural justice), and supervisors treat employees with dignity and respect (interactive justice) (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002). Research (Henle, 2005; Stecher and Rosse, 2005) demonstrated that inequitable treatment influenced employee decisions to engage in acts intended to harm co-workers (interpersonal deviance) or the organization (organizational deviance), reduce work effort, or terminate employment. According to the findings of Kelloway, Loughlin, Barling, and Nault (2002), employees enacting deviant behaviors were less inclined to enact OCB. Loi et al. (2006) demonstrated that procedural and distributive justice, mediated by POS, led to increased employee commitment to the organization and intentions to remain. Lynch et al. (1999) also found that supportive and equitable treatment overcame employee's fear of exploitation and reciprocation wariness.