The Effect of Gender, Seniority and Subject Matter on the Perceptions of Organizational Justice of Teachers: A Meta-Analytical Study

Abstract

AbstractThis study reveals the results of a meta-analysis conducted with the theses and research studies published in Turkey from 2005 to 2012 regarding organizational justice. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of gender, seniority and subject matter on the perceptions of organizational justice of teachers. Specific criteria were used to select which studies would be included in the meta-analysis. According to these criteria, 17 studies were included from the perspective of gender, 9 from seniority, and 6 from the perspective of subject matter. The study found that the variables of gender and subject matter had a very weak effect on the overall perception of organizational justice, as well as on the sub-dimensions of organizational justice. The research concluded that seniority had a very weak effect overall on the perception of organizational justice, and the organizational sub-dimensions of procedural justice, interactive justice and relationships with managers. The effect on distributive justice and the relationship between employees was weak, bordering on moderate. The study revealed that teachers with 10 years or under of experience had a more positive perception about organizational justice in the dimension of distributive justice, while teachers with 11 years or higher experience had a more positive perception regarding the relationship between employees. This study suggests new meta-analytical studies to determine the relationship of organizational justice with other variables. It also points out that researchers should be more careful in reporting statistics in their studies to allow for the implementation of meta-analyses in the future.Keywords: Organizational justice * Gender * Seniority * Subject matter * Meta-analysisThere is a significant increase in the number of research studies about organizational behavior in the area of educational administration. This increase is also due to the emergence of human-centered management theories within the framework of approaching human relations. These humancentered theories emphasize sensitivity to certain employee characteristics such as emotions, ideas, values, culture and needs (Yilmaz & Altinkurt, 2012a). In this regard, it can be seen that concepts like organizational justice, citizenship, trust, commitment, culture, values and emotions, aside from many others, are covered in research studies. Among such concepts, organizational justice attracts attention as one of the most important subjects in the literature on organizational behavior.Adams' Equality Theory (1963) serves as the basis for studies on organizational justice. Research studies conducted over time have contributed to the development of the concept of organizational justice. A meta-analytical study published by Cohen-Charash and Spector in 2001 encompassed approximately 400 empirical and 200 theoretical studies published in the area of organizational justice. Among these, the number of studies conducted on educational institutions was relatively less. This number has increased, however, owing to measurement tools developed specifically for educational institutions (Donovan, Drasgow, & Munson, 1998; Hoy & Tarter, 2004; Niehoff & Moorman, 1993). In parallel, there has been a significant increase in the number of studies on organizational justice in the area of educational administration in Turkey since 2000.One reason for the interest of researchers with organizational justice could be the relationship of organizational justice to several variables. The literature shows that organizational justice is related to such variables as job satisfaction (Clay-Warner, Reynolds, & Roman, 2005; Elma, 2013; Karakose, Altinkurt, & Yilmaz, 2009; Yurur, 2008), organizational citizenship behavior (Farh, Earley, & Lin, 1997; Moorman, 1991; Niehoff & Moorman, 1993; Polat, 2007; Tansky, 1993; Yilmaz & Altinkurt, 2012b), organizational trust (Folger & Konovsky, 1989; Lind & Tyler, 1988; Ozgan, 2011; Polat & Celep, 2008; Yilmaz & Altinkurt, 2012b), motivation (Folger & Cronpanzano, 1998; Lambert, 2003; Sokmen, Bilsel, & Erbil, 2013), burnout (Liljegren & Ekberg, 2009; Moliner, Martinez-Tur, Peiro, & Ramos, 2005), organizational commitment (Babaoglan & Erturk, 2013; Folger & Konovsky, 1989; Lind & Tyler, 1988; Moorman, Niehoff, & Organ, 1993; Ozgan, 2011), and job performance (Conlon, Meyer, & Nowakowski, 2005; Walumbwa, Cropanzano, & Hartnell, 2009). …