The impact of perceived justice on behavioral intentions of Cantonese Yum Cha consumers: The mediation role of psychological contract violation

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between perceived justice, psychological contract violations, and behavior intention was analyzed in the context of Cantonese Yum Cha service. Additionally, the moderating effect of the service failure severity and responsibility attribution was examined. The findings established the critical role of psychological contract violations in mediating the relationship between procedural justice and negative word of mouth, as well as the relationship between distributive justice and negative word of mouth. Simultaneously, the research findings confirm that the service failure severity and the responsibility attribution have a moderating effect on certain paths. When service failures are severe, the detrimental effect of interactional and procedural justice on psychological contract violations becomes more apparent. When consumers are more receptive to external attribution, interactional justice has a greater negative effect on psychological contract violations. This study also discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of the aforementioned research findings.