Do Good Citizens Make Good Organizational Citizens?

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and general citizenship behavior in the wider society. First, the article portrays a theoretical link between variants of general citizenship behavior (e.g., political participation, community involvement, general altruism, and faith in citizen involvement) and OCB. The potential contribution of such a relationship to public administration agencies and to society is also developed. Respondents were 200 employees and their supervisors from one of the major public health organizations in Israel. Path analysis using LISREL VIII supports the notion that contextual work attitudes mediate the effect of general citizenship on OCB. The prime implication is that the organization constitutes an important factor in determining whether general citizenship behavior will be transformed in the organization.