Organizational Commitment and Citizenship Behaviors in Moroccan Organizations: Examining the Mediating Influence of Leadership and Perceived Organizational Justice

This study explores the relationships between the three dimensions of organizational commitment—affective, normative, and continuance commitment—and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) among Moroccan middle managers and technical employees. Drawing on Meyer and Allen’s three-component framework, the research investigates how leadership and perceived organizational justice contribute to explaining the behavioral expression of commitment within organizations. “
Based on data collected from 514 managers, the findings reveal the predominance of continuance commitment, reflecting the importance of employment stability and perceived costs associated with leaving the organization. The analyses further demonstrate that leadership and organizational justice significantly mediate the relationship between commitment and citizenship behaviors. More specifically, fair organizational practices and supportive managerial relationships appear to reinforce employees’ willingness to engage in discretionary behaviors beneficial to the organization.
The results underline the importance of considering contextual and institutional characteristics when analyzing organizational commitment in non-Western environments. In organizational settings marked by hierarchical regulation and relational obligations, citizenship behaviors may emerge not only from emotional attachment but also from pragmatic forms of organizational involvement. The study contributes to the literature by offering a contextualized interpretation of commitment dynamics within Moroccan organizations and by highlighting the strategic role of organizational justice and leadership in sustaining extra-role behaviors.

Organizational commitment; Organizational citizenship behaviors

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