The Effect of Peer-OCB on Self-OCB: The Assimilation of OCB Based on Group Attractiveness

Purpose Several relevant theories and existing studies suggested evidence about the relationship between peer-OCB (organizational citizenship behavior) and self-OCB, but only a few studies have researched this issue. Because of that, this study investigated the relationship between peer and self-OCB based on affective events theory. Design/Methodology/Approach There are two research points. The one point is dividing OCB into two sub-dimensions and examining all possible relationships between the sub-dimensions of peer-OCB and self-OCB. The other one point is considering group attractiveness as a mediator of this research model. The survey data was collected from 231 respondents working for South Korean listed companies and used in an SEM (structural equation modeling) analysis. Findings The results showed that peer-OCB has a positive effect on self-OCB when peer-OCB and self-OCB have the same sub-dimensions (according to its target). Group attractiveness had significant mediating effects on all relationships except the relationship of peer-OCB-I and self-OCB-O. In detail, group attractiveness fully mediated the relationship of peer-OCB-O/self-OCB-I and partly mediated the relationship of peer-OCB-I/self-OCB-I and peer-OCB-O/self-OCB-O. Research Implication This research contributes to OCB research stream with identifying the specific relationships between peer and self OCBs. Although, existing research argued that there is a simple positive relationship between them, but, for the first time, this research investigates that there is a more complicated relationship.