The Effect of OCB Profile Similarity between Individual and Colleagues on Experienced Incivility

Abstract

Purpose - Studies have been continuously carried out by researchers so far to clarify the factors influencing employee's incivility at work. However, the behavior of employees who are the target of incivility not much has been revealed which behavior affects the experience of incivility. Among them, it is interesting that the effect of OCB, a representative of employees' positive behavior in the workplace, on their experienced incivility has not been investigated. Therefore, this study attempted to clarify the relationship between OCB and experienced incivility that previous studies have not yet discovered. Design/methodology/approach - In the process, the concept of profile similarity was introduced and based on this, it was assumed that the OCB profile similarity between individual and colleagues, not the absolute level of OCB, would affect the experienced incivility and demonstrated this. The analysis was conducted by applying the survey data obtained from 205 employees to hierarchical regression analysis. Findings - As a result of the analysis, it was examined that the absolute OCB value used in previous studies did not significantly affect the experienced incivility, but the higher the similarity level, the less experienced incivility. The implications obtained based on this and future research directions are discussed together in the conclusion. Research implications or Originality This study is the first one that considers OCB’s profile similarity as a antecedent of experienced incivility. OCB profile similarity concept was only treated as a theoretical issue even in very early stage of OCB research stream, but this study examines the significant effect of OCB profile similarity. Moreover, behavioral antecedents of experienced incivility has not been identified well, but this study finds out that OCB can be a behavioral antecedent of experienced incivility.