UNLOCKING ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOUR THROUGH COGNITIVE DIVERSITY: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF TEAM COHESION

Abstract

Cognitive diversity, defined as differences in knowledge, perspectives, and problem‑solving approaches among team members, has been recognized as a potential driver of innovation and decision quality but its influence on discretionary pro-social behaviours remains underexplored. This study investigates the mediating role of team cohesion in the relationship between cognitive diversity and organizational citizenship behaviour within manufacturing teams. A cross‑sectional survey was conducted among 100 full‑time employees from three medium‑sized manufacturing firms in Haridwar, India, using random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using SPSS 23.1 and SmartPLS 4.0 with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‑SEM). Findings reveal that cognitive diversity positively predicts team cohesion (β = 0.412, p < .001) and organizational citizenship behaviour (β = 0.289, p = .014). Team cohesion strongly predicts organizational citizenship behaviour (β = 0.463, p < .001) and partially mediates the cognitive diversity–OCB relationship (indirect effect β = 0.191, p = .001). The model explains 42% of the variance in organizational citizenship behaviour, indicating moderate explanatory power. Theoretically, the study integrates diversity and cohesion perspectives to demonstrate how cognitive heterogeneity fosters prosocial behaviours when teams are socially integrated. Practically, managers should implement cohesion‑enhancing practices such as shared goals, inclusive leadership, and structured interaction to harness cognitive diversity for organizational citizenship.