Organizational obstacles to green behaviors of university employees from different countries – what about the cultural distance?

Purpose This study aims at identifying and explaining organizational factors that affect organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment (OCBEs) among university employees working in culturally distant countries. This research aims to address the gap in understanding how cultural dimensions influence the organizational antecedents of OCBEs, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach Based on interviews with administrative personnel from universities located in Canada and Colombia (culturally distant countries), the research team analyzed how various types of OCBEs were affected by nine organizational obstacles to these behaviors. Thematic comparison and contrasting were used to identify and categorize recurring patterns in the analyzed data. Findings Several differences are identified in terms of how organizational obstacles to OCBEs are perceived among university employees in two culturally distant countries. For instance, authentic communication seemed to be more determinant for eco-initiatives and eco-helping in Colombia, and establishing corporate objectives were aligned with willingness to engage in eco-civic engagement in Canada and in eco-helping in Colombia. These findings suggest that cultural context significantly shapes the perception and impact of organizational obstacles on OCBEs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that attempts to merge the literature on cultural dimensions with the literature on organizational antecedents to OCBEs. This study provides empirical evidence of cultural context’s impact on organizational obstacles to OCBEs, suggesting universities and policymakers tailor environmental initiatives accordingly.