Drivers of salespeople engagement: A justice perspective

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of distributive and procedural justice, and their effects on salespeople engagement. Based on Social Exchange Theory, we propose a theoretical model positing that salespeople's engagement is influenced by salespeople's perceptions of distributive (fairness in reward distribution) and procedural justice (fairness in organizational processes). We also delve into factors that enhance salespeople's perceptions of distributive and procedural justice, which indirectly affects their engagement. Using investment motives of justice, we propose that salespeople's investment in the organization and their comparison of their current jobs to alternatives, given the comparison favoring their current position, are positively associated with distributive justice. Further, the paper theorizes and tests how sales manager opportunism and conflict resolution approach, as two relational motives of justice, can influence procedural justice perception among salespeople. Finally, we examine the indirect effects of drivers of justice on salespeople engagement. Our analysis of 265 business-to-business salespeople corroborates the proposed theoretical model. Overall, the findings provide insights into how sales managers can enhance salespeople's engagement by promoting distributive and procedural justice.