Cross-Cultural Differences in Person-Environment Fit and Organizational

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the cultural impacts on the relationships between person-environment fit (person-organization fit and person-group fit) and different levels of organizational citizenship behavior (organization level OCB and individual level OCB). One hundred twenty eight American participants were recruited from a variety of organizations and positions in the U.S. and one hundred fifty nine Chinese participants were recruited from a variety of organizations and positions in China. The results indicated that the relationship between person-group fit and individual level OCB was moderated by culture. In Western organizations, employees who perceived they had a good fit with their working group were more likely to exhibit individual level OCB compared to employees in Eastern organizations. Additionally, exploratory studies revealed that American employees were higher than Chinese employees on both kinds of person-environment fit and on both kinds of OCB. Part of these differences might be explained by the American executives who were higher than every other group on person-group fit and individual level and organizational level OCB. The findings of this study may help organizations to develop more effective strategies for promoting employees’ organizational citizenship behaviors in international settings.