Distinguishing Proactivity From Citizenship Behavior: Similarities and Differences

Abstract

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and proactivity have garnered a great deal of research attention recently. Some scholars have subsumed proactivity under the concept of OCB because both concepts are based on discretionary behaviors. In this chapter, we want to summarize reasons to differentiate OCB from proactivity. We do this by showing that their functions are different even when they may be correlated, that there are different evolutionary paths for the development of OCB and proactivity, and that there are different biological components. At the same time, we argue that both OCB and proactivity have important evolutionary functions for humans, allowing humans to become a dominate animal in the world. We hope this chapter can spur more research on the intersection between the two constructs.

Employee voice behavior as a critical factor for organizational sustainability in the telecommunications industry

“…Voice behavior is discretionary in nature and considered a form of proactive behavior [10,11]. Proactive behaviors are future-oriented, extra-role behaviors that focus on making things happen [10].…”

From family business orientation to organisational citizenship behaviour: prosocial behaviour in family business performance

“…The results confirm the previous study (Organ, 2015), which argues that discretionary behaviours support particular levels of conformity to organisational rules. The previous studies on organisational citizenship highlight the evolutionary function for individual discretionary behaviour that contributes to the organisations with multiple purposes (Li et al, 2015;Habeeb et al, 2019). This study indicates how a family that owns the business sets the social purposes from various performance alternatives beyond profit, such as family orientation, prosocial behaviour, moral obligation and OCB.…”

“…OCB is a set of behaviours that sustains or enhances the cooperation system of the organisation but is an informal system. OCB has an essential evolutionary function for humans allowing them to become dominant animals in the world (Li et al, 2015). The behaviour includes such activities as helping co-workers for discretion or taking for granted is essential to the organisation with multiple goals (Pond et al, 1997).…”

Proatividade: influência das condições para a criatividade considerando a mediação da autoeficácia para criar

“…There are a multitude of similar variables, some dealing with personal traits, such as a proactive personality (BATEMAN; CRANT, 1993) and others with behaviors, such as "proactive behaviors/proactivity" (FRESE, KRING;SOOSE;ZEMPEL, 1996), "search for challenges" (taking charge), and "voice". The aim of the present work is not to differentiate the constructs from their conceptual limits, with many works in the literature being already focused on this issue (FRESE, 2008;KAMIA;POR-TO, 2009;LI;HAIDAR, 2016;THOMAS, WHITMAN;VISWESVARAN, 2010;TORNAU;. Proactive behavior was chosen as the central variable of this work because among the several emerging concepts related to this topic it is one of those that is both theoretically and empirically sound (TORNAU; FRESE, 2013).…”