Diversity management and OCB: the connection evidence from the Lebanese banking sector

Abstract

PurposeResearch has shown that organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has a positive and significant impact on organizational performance at a time when traditional monitoring and supervision practices are showing a declining influence. This has triggered numerous research undertakings exploring the antecedents of OCB, and how it can best be enhanced. Though many variables have been identified as predictors of OCB, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the influence of diversity management on OCB and two of its important antecedents: organizational commitment and work engagement.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a survey instrument of pre-validated scales to measure banking sector employees’ perceptions of their affective and normative commitment (NC), OCB, and diversity management practices at their organizations. Structural equation modeling was used with AMOS (20) to empirically assess the relationships among constructs.FindingsThis study empirically confirmed the positive impact of diversity management on employees’ feelings of affective commitment to the organization and engagement at work, which in turn positively impact employees’ OCB. However, the findings negate any direct influence of diversity management on NC or on OCB.Originality/valueThis study fills a gap in the literature by questioning the validity of applying the social exchange theory to the concept of OCB.