Abstract
M.Phil.
Orientation: Pro-social behaviour could result in benefits such as increased morale
and extra-role behaviour to the benefit of an organisation, and therefore, organisations
could encourage their leaders to exhibit authentic leadership to leverage person
organisation fit and in turn increase pro-social behaviour of employees.
Research purpose: The study was aimed at investigating the relationships between
authentic leadership, person organisation fit and pro-social behaviour. Further, the
study focused on identifying the influence of authentic leadership and personorganisation
fit on pro-social behaviour. The possible mediating effect that person
organisation fit has between authentic leadership and pro-social behaviour was
explored.
Motivation for the study: With the challenges faced by organisations, especially
regarding the importance of customer service, employees should not only perform
their defined organisational roles but must go beyond these roles and expectations.
Pro-social behaviour is seen as taking action to protect the interests of the organisation
and co-workers, as well as going beyond role requirements that are specified in an
occupation.
Research approach, design and method: A quantitative, survey design was used and
administered to a sample of employees within a construction and engineering
company within, South Africa (N =300). Three measuring instruments were utilised in
the study; Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted on these instruments and the
following factor structures and Cronbach Alpha’s were found. A two-factor solution
was found for the Authentic Leadership Inventory, these factors were self-awareness,
with a Cronbach Alpha of (.927) and internalised moral perspective with a Cronbach
Alpha of (.826). Analysis on the Person organisation Fit Scale found a one factor
solution with a Cronbach Alpha of (.81). The Pro-Social Organisational Behaviour
Scale was found to have a four-factor solution. The four factors were the following: (1)
Internal beneficiaries (.822), (2) External beneficiaries (.887) (3) Positive Company
Image (.824) and, (4) Positive Company Support (.764). Owing to the skewness of the
sample, Spearman’s correlation was utilised to determine the relationship between the
variables. Multiple Regression Analysis was utilised to test the mediating effect of...