Influence of high-performance work practices on organizational citizenship behaviour: the mediating role of affective commitment

Purpose This study examines how high-performance work practices (HPWPs) influence organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and the mediating role of employee affective commitment (AC) in this relationship in a non-Western context such as India. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a survey research design. Taking a sample of 503 employees of a large manufacturing organization in India, the primary data are analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Andrew Hayes' PROCESS macro. Findings The findings indicate that employee perceptions of HPWPs positively relate to OCB. The mediating role of employee AC in the relationship is also found. These findings imply that positive perceptions of employees towards HPWPs create AC in employees and which, in turn, results in OCB. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on a single organization, which limits its generalizability and recommends future researchers to conduct a broad-based study. The study is also limited by its research design and cross-sectional data for establishing causality on a firmer footing. Originality/value The study examines the influence of HPWPs on OCB with AC as a mediating variable in a non-Western setting such as India and makes a departure from the earlier ones in that it considers perceptions of employees towards HPWPs rather than managerial reporting of their actual use. Findings of the research take the debate a step further in understanding the mechanism of the relationship.