Walking an extra mile: Determinants of organizational citizenship behavior—An exploratory study in faith-based organizations

Abstract

Objective: Our study is intended to explore the factors that promote organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) in faith-based organizations, which has the potential to extend the scholarly conversation around a previously unexplored context. Methods: Our study used a purposive, homogeneous sampling technique in selecting the participants. We interviewed 30 employees who have at least 5 years of experience in faith-based organizations. We conducted detailed interviews and subsequent analysis involved a rigorous six-step thematic analysis process to better understand the phenomena being studied. Results: Our study revealed the significance of OCB in faith-based organizations and further elucidated those factors that determine the display of OCBs. Our findings have the power to enhance the existing comprehension of OCBs in different environments, specifically those present in faith-based organizations. Our study broadens our conceptual understanding of OCB in faith-based organizations by adding one more dimension to the existing framework of P. MPodsakoff et al. (1990). Conclusion: Our findings have important implications for organizational scholars in faith-based organizations. Our new conceptual framework offers insights into the distinct characteristics of OCBs in faith-based organizations and suggests directions for future scholars to engage with OCBs from different contexts.