The moderating effect of in-group identification :spirituality, uncertainty avoidance, attitudes toward corporate social responsibility and their relationship with organizational citizenship behavior -

Abstract

This research project investigates whether social axioms (spirituality and social cynicism), socio-cultural values (uncertainty avoidance and power distance), or attitudes towards corporate social-environmental responsibility, predict levels of employee OCB-I and OCB-O. It then goes on to investigate the moderating effect of in-group identification on these relationships. This quantitative study is based on 172 surveys distributed to employees in two Lebanese hospitals. Using multiple statistical tools it was found that these employees exhibited relatively high levels of CSR, spirituality and uncertainty avoidance, which was expected from the literature review. They exhibited milder levels of in-group identification and OCB-I, but slightly higher levels of OCB overall showing that they have a better commitment behavior to the organization as a whole than to the other employees. None of the variables predicted to influence levels of OCB-I or OCB were valid, but on the other hand, when in-group identification was present in the analysis it was found to have a positive and significant effect for all hypotheses tested. Specifically, in the presence of in-group identification, levels of OCB-I and OCB are partially explained by an employee’s level of employee spirituality, uncertainty avoidance and CSR. This was even found to be slightly higher for levels of OCB than OCB-I. What can be clearly identified from this study is that regardless of the employee degree of a social axiom, social value or affinity towards CSR, it is beneficial for an organization to have employees exhibiting high levels of in-group identification.