DOES ORGANIZATIONAL CYNICISM INFLUENCE JOB PERFORMANCE? EVIDENCE FROM RUBBER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Human capital is essential for organizations in the 21st century. Over the past two decades, Sri Lanka's rubber industry has gained recognition for its value-added products. This study investigated the impact of organizational cynicism on job performance among operational level employees in the rubber manufacturing sector, specifically in Gampaha District, a key traditional rubber-growing area in Sri Lanka. This study employs a deductive and quantitative approach, deploying a sample of 170 operational-level employees in the rubber manufacturing industry in Gampaha District selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using an online structured survey questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS (version 21). The multiple regression analysis results indicated a significant impact of organizational cynicism on job performance, cognitive cynicism on job performance, and behavioral cynicism on job performance. Affective cynicism was excluded from the multiple regression model, possibly because of collinearity issues. A thorough investigation of these hypotheses collectively confirms the detrimental influence of organizational cynicism on the job performance of operational-level employees in Sri Lankan rubber manufacturing firms. Each facet of cynicism—cognitive, behavioral, and affective—exerts a distinct yet interconnected role in mitigating job performance. These revelations advocate for a paradigm shift in organizational strategies, urging managers to not only address visible symptoms, but also delve into the root causes of cynicism. Additionally, this research contributes to the academic understanding of the interplay between organizational attitudes and job performance in the context of the rubber manufacturing industry and has practical implications for leaders and human resource practitioners in cultivating strategies for improving organizational culture, employee engagement, and consequently, job performance within the rubber manufacturing sector in Gampaha District.