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Fairly Meaningful: Mechanisms Linking Organizational Fairness to Perceived Meaningfulness

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Si

    (Zhejiang Gongshang University)

  • Jialing Xiao

    (Hong Kong Baptist University)

  • Leni Chen

    (Hong Kong Baptist University)

Abstract

This research develops and tests a multiple-mediator model of the relationship between organizational fairness and employees’ perceived meaningfulness. Integrating (Rosso et al., Research in Organizational Behavior 30:91–127, 2010) theoretical framework on meaningfulness with theories on fairness, we examined four parallel mechanisms linking organizational fairness to perceived meaningfulness: organization-based self-esteem (OBSE), authenticity at work, moral identification, and organizational identification. We tested our model with three time-lagged studies. All of the studies found significant mediating effects of OBSE and authenticity at work, whereas the results of moral identification and organizational identification were mixed. Studies 2 and 3 also found that the combined mediating effect of the self-oriented mechanisms (OBSE and authenticity at work) was significantly stronger than that of the other-oriented mechanisms (moral identification and organizational identification). These findings suggest organizational fairness as a key antecedent of perceived meaningfulness and the prominent role of the self in the relationship between fairness and meaningfulness.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Si & Jialing Xiao & Leni Chen, 2023. "Fairly Meaningful: Mechanisms Linking Organizational Fairness to Perceived Meaningfulness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 53-72, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:187:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05271-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-022-05271-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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