Organizational justice and organizational citizenship behavior: A mediated multi-foci model

This research integrates the literatures of organizational justice and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) through an application of social exchange theory. It explores the effects of individual- and organization-referenced justice perceptions on behaviors that are directed at, and benefit, the organization as a whole (organizational citizenship behavior---organization, or OCBO), as distinct from in-role behaviors (IRB), and those that benefit the supervisor (organizational citizenship behavior---supervisor, or OCBS. Based on extant literature, the author expects that individual perceptions of the trustworthiness of the organization and organizational commitment will mediate the relationships between specific dimensions of individual- and organization-referenced justice perceptions and extra-role behaviors that are intended to benefit the organization (OCBO). The author also expects that the leader-member exchange (LMX) relationship will mediate the relationships between specific dimensions of individual-referenced justice perceptions and extra-role behaviors that are intended to benefit the supervisor (OCBS) and in-role behaviors (IRB).; The current effort utilizes confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to extend previous research in several ways. First, other research has examined the justice-OCB relationship from the vantage of a three-dimensional justice construct; here, the relationships between four dimensions of justice and IRB and OCB are explored. Second, an attempt is made to resolve the confounding of justice source and justice type for each of the four justice dimensions, rather than for the three that have been studied in this way. Third, and because of this multi-foci dimensionality, a more detailed justice-OCB relationship is explored for its differential impact on behaviors, including OCBO, OCBS, and IRB. Finally, this model includes mediators that assist our understanding of how each of the dimensions of justice is translated into each kind of outcome behavior, and builds on the foundations of equity theory and social exchange in a more fully specified model than previously has been expressed.; The results of this research support the idea that multi-foci, multi-dimensional organizational justice perceptions impact organizational citizenship behaviors differentially, and that certain mediators act to aid our understanding of how these relationships operate in an exchange context.