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Journal of Applied Psychology 1997, Vol. 82, No. 2, 262-270
Copyright 1997 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0021-9010/97/$3.00
Organizational Citizenship Behavior and the Quantity and Quality of Work Group Performance
Philip M. Podsakoff, Michael Ahearne, and Scott B. MacKenzie Indiana University Bloomington Despite the widespread interest in the topic of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), little empirical research has tested the fundamentalassumption that these forms of behavior improve the effectivenessof work groups or organizations in which they are exhibited. In the present study, the effects of OCBs on the quantity and quality of the performance of 218 people working in 40 machine crews in a paper mill located in the Northeastern United States were examined. The results indicate that helping behavior and sportsmanshiphad significanteffects on performancequantityand that helpingbehavior had a significantimpact on performance quality. However, civic virtue had no effect on either performance measure.
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the topic of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Much of this research (Ball, Trevino, & Sims, 1994; Bateman & Organ, 1983; George, 1990; George & Bettenhausen, 1990; Moorman, 1991; Munene, 1995; Organ & Konovsky, 1989; Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman, & Fetter, 1990; Podsakoff, Niehoff, MacKenzie, & Williams, 1993; Schnake, 1991; Smith, Organ, & Near, 1983; Williams & Anderson, 1991 ) has focused on identifying the potential antecedents of OCBs, apparently under the assumption that these forms of behavior are functional to the organization. For example, Organ (1988) defined OCBs as "behavior(s) of a discretionary nature that are not part of the employee's formal role requirements, but nevertheless promote the effective functioning of the organization" (p. 4). Similar statements regarding the importance of organizational citizenship behavior, or other forms of
Copyright 1997 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0021-9010/97/$3.00
Organizational Citizenship Behavior and the Quantity and Quality of Work Group Performance
Philip M. Podsakoff, Michael Ahearne, and Scott B. MacKenzie Indiana University Bloomington Despite the widespread interest in the topic of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), little empirical research has tested the fundamentalassumption that these forms of behavior improve the effectivenessof work groups or organizations in which they are exhibited. In the present study, the effects of OCBs on the quantity and quality of the performance of 218 people working in 40 machine crews in a paper mill located in the Northeastern United States were examined. The results indicate that helping behavior and sportsmanshiphad significanteffects on performancequantityand that helpingbehavior had a significantimpact on performance quality. However, civic virtue had no effect on either performance measure.
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the topic of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Much of this research (Ball, Trevino, & Sims, 1994; Bateman & Organ, 1983; George, 1990; George & Bettenhausen, 1990; Moorman, 1991; Munene, 1995; Organ & Konovsky, 1989; Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman, & Fetter, 1990; Podsakoff, Niehoff, MacKenzie, & Williams, 1993; Schnake, 1991; Smith, Organ, & Near, 1983; Williams & Anderson, 1991 ) has focused on identifying the potential antecedents of OCBs, apparently under the assumption that these forms of behavior are functional to the organization. For example, Organ (1988) defined OCBs as "behavior(s) of a discretionary nature that are not part of the employee's formal role requirements, but nevertheless promote the effective functioning of the organization" (p. 4). Similar statements regarding the importance of organizational citizenship behavior, or other forms of