"Perception of Supervisors' Behavior and Subordinates' Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Case of Retail and Manufacturing in Saudi Arabia"

Abstract

The current study sought to understand how individuals working in the retail and manufacturing business perceive their supervisors’ behavior and how this encourages or discourages their organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). Data were gathered using a qualitative approach involving 22 interviews with employees working in the retail and manufacturing business. Transcribed interviews were thematically analyzed and resulted in the formation of themes and subthemes relating to the factors contributing or discouraging OCB. Employee support, feelings of trust and security, recognition, fairness, proper communication, and respect were identified as the factors positively influencing OCB
Findings suggested that verbal aggression, distrust and unfairness, apathy, and lack of knowledge negatively affect employees’ OCB. This paper adds to the body of literature on which factors influence subordinates’ OCB in a Saudi context. Organizations may want to apply the results of this study to their policy as OCB is important for the success of any business. OCB is usually studied in a western context and by means of quantitative methods. The value of this study is that it researches OCB in a Middle Eastern context – more specifically in the context of Saudi Arabia – and that it deploys qualitative methods to create an in-depth understanding of the factors encouraging and discouraging OCB.