Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Role of Value/Identity-Based Motivation

This study is one of the very limited empirical research efforts on the value/identity-based motivation (VIM) theory proposed by Shamir. In this research, the authors tested the relationships between VIM and the five dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as well as the moderating effects of individualistic/collectivistic orientation on the relationships between VIM and OCB dimensions. Data were collected from employees and their immediate supervisors in organizations located in the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. The results supported the hypothesized relationships between VIM and sportsmanship, civic virtue, courtesy, and altruism but failed to support the expected relationship between VIM and conscientiousness and the moderating effects. The findings of this study provide evidence for the validity of VIM as a theory of motivation for organizational behaviors, particularly in “weak situations,” and contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the antecedents of OCB.