Goal self-concordance mediates the relation of core self-evaluations with organizational citizenship behavior but not with environmental organizational citizenship behavior

Abstract

This paper tested antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior for the environment (OCB-E) and goal self-concordance as a mediator between those antecedents and OCB-E or related outcomes. We proposed that core self-evaluations, a well-studied antecedent of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), are also related to a newer form of OCB – namely, OCB-E. Similarly, we proposed that environmental identity, a well-studied antecedent of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBS), are also related to a specific form of PEBS – again, OCB-E. The specific relations of these antecedents to OCB-E, to the best of our knowledge, had never been tested. Drawing on the goal-self concordance model, we tested goal self-concordance as a mediating mechanism in each of these relationships. Results drawn from a sample of 297 employees from diverse organizations support goal self-concordance as a relevant mediator between core self-evaluations and OCB, but not for the remaining relationships. Still, environmental identity, as well as core self-evaluations, are positively and significantly related to OCB-E. We discuss implications for the conceptualization of OCB-E and ways to further study this concept.