Social network ties and organizational citizenship behavior: evidence of a curvilinear relationship

We examine the relationships between employee friendship and advice network centrality and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Using social exchange theory as a basis, we argue that centrality within the workplace friendship network will be positively and linearly related to employee OCB. Further, we draw on conservation of resources theory and role theory to predict a curvilinear (inverse U) relationship between employees’ advice network centrality and OCB such that employees will engage in higher levels of OCB at moderate levels of advice centrality than at low and high levels. We test the theoretical model in an academic setting (using other reports of network ties and employee ratings of OCB) and a US-based organization (using other reports of network ties and supervisor ratings of OCB). The results support the idea of a curvilinear relationship between advice network centrality and OCB in both studies and a linear relationship between friendship centrality and OCB in Study 2. Practical implications and directions for future research are addressed.