The generational effect on the relationship between job involvement, work satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior

Abstract

In recent years, generational differences have been studied in the context of the workplace. In a review of the evidence for generational differences in work values, for example, Twenge (2010) reported that work centrality and the work ethic declined steadily from the Baby Boomer generation through Generation X and to Generation Y. However, although the literature appears to confirm that generational differences indeed exist in respect to work, very little research attention has been paid to the relationships between various work attitudes in the generational context. The current study therefore sought to examine the degree of generational influence on the relationships between three work-related attitudes and behaviors: work satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The findings indicate that generation mitigates the effect only job involvement on two dimensions of OCB with the effects of this interaction being more positive among Gen X than Gen Y employees. The implications of the results were discussed and future research venues were suggested. © Copyright 2011 by the Colegio Oficial de Psicölogos de Madrid.