Underdog Environmental Expectations and Environmental Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Hotel Industry: Mediation of Desire to Prove Others Wrong and Individual Green Values as a Moderator

Abstract

Discretionary environmental behaviors are usually encouraged beyond a formal reward system, but environmental skeptics, from managers or co-workers, place underdog expectations on the importance of organizational citizenship behaviors for workplace environments. Building on the leadership substitution theory, the social exchange theory (SET), and the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) theory, in the current study, we explore the relationships between underdog environmental expectations and organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment (OCBE), with the mediating effects of desire to prove others wrong and the moderating effect of green values. A total of 246 hotel employees participated, and the obtained data were analyzed by structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS). The results assert that underdog environmental expectations are able to reduce OCBE. The results also demonstrate that green values and the desire to prove others wrong lessen the negative effect of underdog environmental expectations on OCBE. In addition, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications regarding the application of these findings to the tourism and hospitality industries.