What is the critical mass of help? A potential resolution to a paradox on citizenship and organizational performance

Christopher R. Dishop () and Richard P. DeShon ()
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Christopher R. Dishop: Michigan State University
Richard P. DeShon: Michigan State University

Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 2021, vol. 27, issue 1, No 4, 93-107

Abstract: Abstract Prior explanations for the observed result that employee cooperation demonstrates both positive and negative relationships with organizational performance often require psychological reactions or cognitions. We use an agent-based model to assume away these effects and demonstrate a possible alternative relying on just three, simple features. These include (1) limits to an employee’s ability to help a colleague while also performing his or her own task, (2) the distribution of performance across the collective, and (3) the method of aggregating individual to organizational performance. Our model offers an alternative explanation to an empirical result, simple and sufficient conditions for producing a phenomenon, implications for theory on the nature of employee helping, and practical advice to evaluate the merits of helping interventions.

Keywords: Cooperation; Organizational citizenship behaviors; Organizational performance; Performance curves; Power laws; Aggregating functions; Agent-based model; Organizational change; Change management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10588-020-09318-5

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