Examining organizational citizenship behavior of Japanese employees: a multidimensional analysis of the relationship to organizational commitment

Abstract

Although there is now considerable research concerning organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), little is known about the possibility of the transposition of such a research topic to a Japanese context. This study proposes and substantiates a three-dimension model of OCB in the Japanese context, comprising voluntary involvement, generalized compliance, and personal industry. Furthermore, the examination of the relationship between organizational commitment and OCB indicates that affective commitment is positively associated with voluntary involvement and personal industry. Also, continuance commitment is positively related to generalized compliance and, simultaneously, negatively associated with voluntary involvement. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords::

• generalized compliance
• Japanese employees
• organizational citizenship behavior
• organizational commitment
• personal industry
• voluntary involvement

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Professor Iwao Taka, Yoshiaki Takao, and Koichiro Hioki for generous support and help in the course of this study. Also, this research was partially funded by a grant to the author from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant No. 22730303.