Organizational identification as a mediator for the effects of psychological contract breaches on organizational citizenship behavior: Insights from the perspective of ethnic minority employees

Abstract

This study examines the contribution of the psychological contract (PC) framework to the understanding of ethnic minority employees' employment relationships. First, it tests the generalizability of PC types (transactional, relational, and balanced) observed in the general population to ethnic minority employees. Then, to further address the unique needs and motivators of minority employees, this study considers diversity-related PCs. It adopts social exchange theory to explain how transactional, relational, balanced, and diversity-related PC breaches predict organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Moreover, it draws insights from social identity theory and examines the mediating role of organizational identification in the relationship between types of PC breach and OCB. Data from 361 Turkish employees working as ethnic minorities in Belgium indicate that relational and diversity-related PC breaches predict OCB partially via organizational identification while transactional and balanced PC breaches directly affect OCB.

Effect of Gig Workers’ Psychological Contract Fulfillment on Their Task Performance in a Sharing Economy—A Perspective from the Mediation of Organizational Identification and the Moderation of Length of Service

“…Gig workers' need for affiliation and connection is demonstrated to positively influence organizational identification and commitment [4], thereby influencing their task performance [5,16]. Prior studies have determined that organizational identification serves as an important mediator between psychological contracts and employees' in-role performance and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior [11,17]. Drawing on these studies, this paper suggests that organizational identification will, to some extent, mediate the effect of PCF on gig workers' task performance.…”

“…Transactional contract fulfillment and relational contract fulfillment were assessed using the measures adopted from Bal et al [23], Wu and Chen [38], and Turnley et al [49]. Although the transactional contract consists of both adequate monetary/economic compensation and non-monetary aspects, including reasonable working conditions and guarantees of employment [11], the latter dimensions are inapplicable to gig employment. Moreover, the dimensions of pay and a supportive employment relationship have been used in the research by Turnley et al (2003), both because they anchor the ends of the transactional-relational continuum that has been discussed in some prior studies [9,34] and because of their salience to employees [49].…”

“…For instance, when a hotel employee perceives that the hotel has violated the psychological contract by neglecting its promises, he/she will no longer possess a strong bond with the organization, thereby weakening his/her organizational identification and hindering job-related outcomes, including performance [7]. A study of ethnic minority employees' employment relationship found that relational psychological breach both directly reduces ethnic minority employees' organizational citizenship behavior and indirectly reduces their organizational identification [11]. Organizational identification represents an attachment in which the characteristics and success of the organization are incorporated into an individual's self-concept [68].…”

“…Transactional and relational contracts have been regarded as two main dimensions of psychological contracts [9,10]. The transactional psychological contract captures the organization's provision of adequate monetary or economic compensation, working conditions, and reasonable guarantees of employment in exchange for employees' fulfillment of their work obligations [9,11]. The relational psychological contract captures the organization's provision of work-related training, professional development, fair treatment, and job security [10].…”

The Dark Side of Organizational Identification: A Multi-Study Investigation of Negative Outcomes

“…This bond distinguishes them from others by enabling them to enjoy privileges based on their closeness with the organization ( Liu et al, 2011 ; Avanzi et al, 2015 ). This privilege, which is contingent upon the display of OI augments psychological entitlement in the individual ( Tufan and Wendt, 2019 ). Psychologically entitled employees expect preferential treatment from the organization irrespective of their efforts ( Żemojtel-Piotrowska et al, 2015 ).…”