Distinct Systems of Justice: How Organizational Identity Shapes the “Why” and “What” of Justice

Abstract

Although studies of organizational justice have flourished for more than 25 years, our understanding of the conditions under which employees perceive their organizations to be just is limited. Despite the recognition that perceptions of organizational justice are socially constructed very little research has considered the role of the organizational context in shaping why justice matters or what members view to constitute fair treatment. We believe organizational identity is a prime contextual variable likely to profoundly mold employees’ perceptions of justice. Specifically, within the domain of organizational identity, the construct of organizational identity orientation is apt to be particularly consequential in influencing employees’ perceptions of justice because it deeply shapes their understandings and expectations of the organization in terms of what is legitimate and important for it to do and to be. The current paper applies this organizational identity framework to predict why organizations and their members are concerned about maintaining systems of justice as well as what members consider to be fair. We argue that each organization identity orientation (individualistic, relational, collectivistic) corresponds with a distinct justice motivation, which in turn influences employees’ perceptions of fairness.