Student Research Proposal: Organizational Citizenship Behavior Theory

This document presents a student's research proposal focused on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) theory. The proposal outlines the research design, which includes a cross-sectional survey strategy utilizing questionnaires and existing scales to assess the applicability of OCB theory, psychological contract theory, and organizational justice theory. The research aims to explore the relationship between these theories, considering cultural, national, and psychological differences that may impact employment dynamics across countries. Key research questions address the necessary actions to support the theories, the links between OCB and psychological contracts, and the influence of cultural and institutional contexts. The objectives include identifying suitable measurement scales, examining the relationships between the theories, comparing findings, and exploring potential theoretical methods to explain work relationships and competition. The proposal also emphasizes the importance of participant details, including experience, roles, demographics, and eligibility criteria. The student re-drafted the title, research questions, and objectives for clarity and focus. The research design involves constructing survey questions, questionnaire layouts, and response scales to ensure reliable outcomes.

A Student Research Proposal
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation

A student research proposal
In order for the research design to give a reliable outcome, there are several concerns which may
be raised about the research design. The research should not only use survey strategy to
incorporate existing scales from published scales but also it should use questionnaires to
incorporate any available differences. This differences may lead to a great effect to the nature of
employment among countries. The differences could either be social, national or psychological.
The research design should, therefore, be cross-sectional in nature.
The title which is about the applicability of organizational citizenship behavior theory,
several concerns are to be raised. From the early definition of organizational citizenship
behavior, the title was viewed as a discretionary behavior especially where the reward scheme
did not recognize the employees. It had been used by a researcher to indicate some situations
where employees are required to work beyond what the contract requires to support one another,
to lower individual interests to organizational interests and to establish organizational
commitment. Through this, organizational residency behaviors would add to organizational
performance and potentially offer a source of competitive advantage.
Theories relating to psychological contract and organizational justice are also related to
organizational citizenship behavior. These theories are among the experiences of the
organizational citizenship behavior. Organizational citizenship is contested and complex.Its
studies reveal the context within which they are conducted, the context could either be cultural or
psychological.
In the research question, several concerns are to be incorporated such as:

1. What actions are necessary to get the support of the organizational citizenship behavior
theory, the organizational justice theory, and the psychological contract theory?
2. Secondly is there a link between the organizational citizenship behavior theory and
psychological contract theory?
3. What are the cultural and institutional differences and how do they question the cultural
and the national applicability to those theories.
4. How applicable are the concepts in the context of a Chinese organization?
5. To what extent do the employees work beyond what the contract requires to support one
another, how do the employees subordinate individual interests to organizational interests
and how do they show organizational obligation?
From the objectives several concerns are that need to be incorporated include:
1. To identify a suitable scale for organizational citizenship behavior theory, organizational
justice theory and contract theory to come up with a reliable figure to use in the case
study.
2. To observe the link between the organizational citizenship behaviors final findings and
psychological contract finding.
3. Compare the findings from the organizational justice scale, the psychological contract
finding and the results from the organizational citizenship behavior.
4. To find out apart from theories studied, whether there is a diverse theoretical method
which may be needed to explain different types of relationships in work and what causes
competition in work.
5. To examine the differences which may be social, psychological and national differences
that affect the nature of employment connection among countries.

6. To find out whether organizational citizenship behavior theory, the psychological
contract theory, and the organizational justice theory are founded on a cultural context
research which may be applied to other contexts.
7. Draw conclusions in number 1 and 3 and evaluate their applicability.
In the participant's section, the name and address of each participant should be indicated. The
work experience of the qualified participants, each participant should be instructed a role to play.
The participant’s gender, race, and age should be asked. The criteria to determine eligibility for
participation should be identified and the participant should clarify time or whether there are
other commitments.
The title should be re-drafted to Organizational citizenship behavior theory.
Re-draft research questions and objective
Why are the organizational citizenship behavior, theory organizational justice theory and
psychological contract theory applicable?
The re-drafted objectives include:
Examine a suitable measurement scale of the three theories, to be used from the case study
findings.
Identify and study the relationship between the three theories and the case study findings.
Re-draft of the research design
The research design will involve the construction of different survey questions. Also,
construct a questionnaire layout. Incorporate survey response scales and survey response formats
strategy to have a cross-sectional research.