Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour in Korea: The Mediating Effect of Social Networks

Abstract

We examine the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on help-giving and helpreceiving interactions in dyadic relationships. We further investigate how the dyadic reciprocity extends to organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) toward whole group drawing on the collectivistic characteristics of East Asian culture. In addition, we use a social network approach to reveal how individuals’ position in social networks mediates the relationship between EI and OCB. Through a two-wave survey study with 63 MBA and graduate students, we found that emotionally intelligent individuals were more active in social networks. They showed more concentrated social interactions in acquaintance networks and engaged in more intermediary social interactions. Also, emotionally intelligent individuals received more assistance from various groups in the helping network. Furthermore, the more the emotionally intelligent individuals engage actively in social network, the more they engage in OCB later. Our study sheds light on the critical role that EI and interpersonal relationships play in understanding prosocial behaviour.