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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM62198
Volume:
10 |
4 |
April 2026
Pages:
1-22
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Management
Independent Researcher
Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) represents one of the most enduring and influential constructs in organizational behaviour, reflecting employees’ discretionary contributions that extend beyond prescribed role expectations and enhance organizational effectiveness. Despite the breadth of scholarship in this domain, existing research remains dispersed across diverse theoretical traditions, contextual applications, and methodological choices, limiting a coherent understanding of the field’s intellectual development. To address this gap, the present study undertakes a bibliometric and systematic review of OCB research published between 1995 and 2026. Based on 359 peer-reviewed articles drawn from the Web of Science Core Collection and filtered through the PRISMA protocol, the study systematically examines the field’s publication trajectory, citation structure, leading contributors, thematic patterns, and emerging research directions. Employing Bibliometrix for performance analysis and science mapping, the findings demonstrate that OCB has developed into a theoretically mature and empirically influential research domain, with strong foundations in social exchange theory, perceived organizational support, and leader–member exchange, while increasingly integrating motivational, resource-based, ethical, and contextual perspectives. The knowledge structure of the field is organized around four major clusters: foundational OCB conceptualization and antecedents, attitudinal and performance-related outcomes, leadership and relational mechanisms, and emerging themes linked to sustainability, digitalization, and cross-cultural variation. At the same time, the review identifies a substantial methodological imbalance, with the literature dominated by cross-sectional quantitative survey designs and limited use of longitudinal, experimental, and mixed-method approaches. By combining bibliometric mapping with a TCCM-based synthesis, this study provides a robust account of the evolution of OCB scholarship and proposes a forward-looking agenda for extending OCB research into digitally mediated, hybrid, and sustainability-driven organizational environments.
KEYWORDS
This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric and systematic review of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) literature from 1995 to 2026, offering a holistic understanding of its intellectual evolution, thematic structure, and future trajectory . The findings confirm that OCB is a globally relevant, high-impact, and theoretically mature research domain, supported by strong foundational theories and concentrated scholarly contributions. The analysis reveals that while OCB research has achieved theoretical consolidation and empirical depth, it faces critical challenges related to contextual relevance, methodological diversity, and conceptual integration. The dominance of traditional frameworks and survey-based methodologies indicates stability but also highlights the need for innovation. Importantly, the study underscores that the future of OCB research lies in its ability to adapt to contemporary organizational realities, including digital transformation, hybrid work, and sustainability imperatives. By leveraging the TCCM framework, this study provides a structured roadmap for advancing OCB scholarship toward greater theoretical integration, contextual relevance, and methodological rigor. In conclusion, OCB research stands at a pivotal stage—transitioning from maturity to transformation—where its continued relevance will depend on its ability to evolve alongside changing organizational landscapes.
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Publication Date
5/1/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this research work.
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