Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the antecedents of organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) and to test the cross-validation of the concept of OBSE in the Korean context. The hypothesized antecedents were tested in relation to two Korean banks, one of which is relatively stable while the other has experienced organizational turmoil in terms of job cuts and salary reductions. The results show that job complexity, participatory management, job security concern, co-worker support and organizational tenure are the antecedents of OBSE. However, intrinsic job characteristics (e.g. job complexity and participatory management) appear to be more influential antecedents than are extrinsic job characteristics (e.g. job security concern and co-worker support) and individual characteristics, thus confirming the results of North American studies.