Perceived organizational support and performance

Abstract

PurposePerceived organizational support is considered a resource capable of positively influencing performance by reducing stressors and encouraging commitment. However, only a modest relationship has been shown between support and performance, suggesting that moderators affect this relationship. To date, no research has examined moderators that might serve to predict non‐linear support‐performance relational forms. The purpose of this research is to examine how cynicism moderates the relationship between support and performance in a non‐linear form.Design/methodology/approachIn study 1, 256 full‐time employees from a variety of industries and jobs completed surveys. In study 2, 143 full‐time state employees participated.FindingsThose reporting high cynicism actually construe levels of support negatively. Specifically, performance for cynics was highest when perceived support was at moderate levels only. Conversely, performance for cynics was lowest when perceived support was either high or low.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of our studies was the use of survey methodology for data collection. Tests of multicollinearity suggest, however, that this did not result in method bias. Future research should consider other potential non‐linear relationships with organizational support to determine when support is not perceived favorably. Additionally, it may be informative to expand the scope of research on cynicism to include sources (e.g. decision makers, legal system) and an examination of the creation of cynical climates (e.g. frequent layoffs).Practical implicationsRecognizing that not all employees (specifically those who are cynical) will perceive support efforts as positive, managers can limit potential negative reactions to support efforts by clarifying their intentions and those of the organization. An increased awareness of possible aversive reactions to what is intended to be supportive, allows managers to better understand and react to cynical employees' behavior.Originality/valueThis study is a first to examine the non‐linear relationship between organizational support and performance as moderated by employee cynicism.

The Interplay of Low Identification, Psychological Detachment, and Cynicism for Predicting Counterproductive Work Behaviour

“…From a cognitive perspective, exhibiting CWB can increase perpetrators' sense of control because such behaviour is not rewarded or otherwise encouraged by others, thus the locus of causality clearly resides in the perpetrator. This is in line with the argument put forth by scholars (e.g., Byrne & Hochwarter, 2008;Chiaburu, Peng, Oh, Banks, & Lomeli, 2013) that cynicism is more strongly related to discretionary work behaviours than in-role task performance due to the volitional nature of the former. From an affective perspective, CWB is an emotion-focused coping strategy for acting out and purging negative emotions related to cynicism (Krischer, Penney, & Hunter, 2010).…”

“…In examining cynicism as a critical link between low organisational identification and CWB, we took a step toward resolving this issue. Our results also suggest that antecedents of cynicism extend beyond traits like negative affectivity (Byrne & Hochwarter, 2008) and organisational characteristics like procedural justice (Bernerth, Armenakis, Feild, & Walker, 2007), and involve a more complex cognitive evaluation (i.e., low identification) of how much employees perceive their motivations to be aligned with those of the organisation. These findings should hopefully open new avenues of research for scholars interested in employee cynicism.…”

An examination of social support and social identity factors and their relationship to certified chefs’ burnout

“…Byrne and Hochwarter (2008) found that perceived support enhances employees' performance by affecting the degree of burnout, especially the cynicism dimension. In Humborstad et al (2008) study, service employees were found to be more committed to their job and less susceptible to burnout with higher perceived organizational support.…”

On the merits of student‐recruited sampling: Opinions a decade in the making

“…Also, this subtle introduction to applied research has motivated many students to pursue independent study courses. Participation increases student's readiness for work or/and graduate school and has often lead to connections that facilitate entr ee into organizations for applied research (Byrne & Hochwarter, 2008). Commonly, motivated students have equally motivated parents who have access to data as a result of their company status (Hochwarter, Perrew e, Meurs, & Kacmar, 2007).…”

“…In my own published research, SRS has been helpful in examining the role of political skill on political will (Treadway, Hochwarter, Kacmar, & Ferris, 2005), the influence of negative affectivity in predicting nonlinear accountability -Job tension outcomes (Hochwarter, Perrew e, Hall, & Ferris, 2005), the interactive effects of hurricane-related job stress and perceived resources on attitudes and behaviours (Hochwarter, Laird, & Brouer, 2008), and enactment's role in mitigating undesired consequences of supervisor narcissism (Hochwarter & Thompson, 2012). Other studies found that cynics construed organizational support negatively (Byrne & Hochwarter, 2008), that optimism had a non-linear effect on citizenship-satisfaction relationships (Munyon et al, 2010), and that self-regulation and political skill attenuated generational conflict's influence on job tension .…”