Examining the relationship between organizational constraints and individual deficits in executive functioning on employees\u27 extra-role work behaviors.

Although the relationship between organizational constraints and task performance has received much empirical scrutiny, largely showing a negative relationship between the two variables, the relationship between constraints and extra-role behaviors has received less attention. Thus, one purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational constraints and extra-role behaviors – both positive extra-role behaviors (OCB and creativity) and negative extra-role behaviors (CWB). Furthermore, in order to explore the frequently hypothesized moderating effect of “control” on the stressor (here, organizational constraints) – strain (here, extra-role behaviors) relationship, this study examined deficits in executive functioning (DEF), an alternative measure and conceptualization of control, as a moderator in the relationship between organizational constraints and extra-role behaviors. Data was collected from approximately 500 full-time employees and subsequently analyzed to test the current study’s hypothesis. The results showed that both organizational constraints and DEF significantly predicted all outcome variables; however, the directionality of some of the relationships between predictor and outcome variables found in this study’s analyses did not match the initial hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed