An investigation of age difference on organizational citizenship behaviors: The role of personal resources and occupational future time perspectives

Abstract

This study focus on three objectives: (i) to provide support for the personal resources model of the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) through the mediation of work engagement;(ii) to examine the role of occupational future time perspective (FTP) on OCB; and (iii) to investigate whether relationship among PsyCap and work engagement and OCB would vary between age. In a sample of technicians and engineers from Hong Kong (N = 183), results suggest that PsyCap, work engagement and occupational future opportunities predict OCB and age moderates the relationship between PsyCap and work engagement. Also, moderated mediation analysis shows that work engagement mediate the relationship between PsyCap and OCB among middle-aged and older workers but not among younger workers. Present findings suggest that the impact of motivational forces and personal resources on organizational contribution are different between younger and older workers. Future research directions and practical implication for human resources practitioners are discussed.