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Ethical Duties of Organizational Citizens: Obligations Owed by Highly Committed Employees

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  • Cam Caldwell
  • Larry Floyd
  • Ryan Atkins
  • Russell Holzgrefe

Abstract

Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organization’s ability to create wealth, but they also owe their organizations a complex set of ethical duties. Although, the academic literature has begun to address the ethical duties owed by organizational leaders to organizational citizens, very little has been written about the duties owed by those who practice OCB to their organizations. In this article, we identify an array of ethical duties owed by those who engage in extra-role behavior and describe those duties in context with personality theory. We suggest that employees who understand the complex nature of OCB and the associated duties they owe to others are more likely to reach their potential and make greater contributions within their organizations. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Cam Caldwell & Larry Floyd & Ryan Atkins & Russell Holzgrefe, 2012. "Ethical Duties of Organizational Citizens: Obligations Owed by Highly Committed Employees," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 285-299, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:110:y:2012:i:3:p:285-299
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-011-1154-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cam Caldwell & Mark Hansen, 2010. "Trustworthiness, Governance, and Wealth Creation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 173-188, December.
    2. Cam Caldwell & Linda Hayes & Do Long, 2010. "Leadership, Trustworthiness, and Ethical Stewardship," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 96(4), pages 497-512, November.
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    9. Chieh-Peng Lin & Nyan-Myau Lyau & Yuan-Hui Tsai & Wen-Yung Chen & Chou-Kang Chiu, 2010. "Modeling Corporate Citizenship and Its Relationship with Organizational Citizenship Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 357-372, September.
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    3. R. Slack & S. Corlett & R. Morris, 2015. "Exploring Employee Engagement with (Corporate) Social Responsibility: A Social Exchange Perspective on Organisational Participation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 537-548, March.
    4. Yuliya Frolova & Monowar Mahmood, 2019. "Variations in employee duty orientation: impact of personality, leadership styles and corporate culture," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 9(4), pages 423-444, December.

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