HEARING IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - THE INFLUENCE OF SOURCE, LEADER-RELATIONS AND LEGITIMACY ON SURVIVORS FAIRNESS PERCEPTIONS

This study developed and tested a model of survivors' fairness percept ions. Data on leader-member relations and affective commitment was col lected from 217 R & D professionals approximately 35 months prior to a major layoff. A second wave of data assessed source of layoff announc ement, legitimacy of the organizational account, and procedural and di stributive fairness 1 month after the layoff occurred. Results of path analysis confirmed hypothesized relationships, and the variance accou nted for in distributive and procedural fairness was 24% and 48%, resp ectively. Procedural fairness was higher for survivors who were inform ed of impending layoffs by their managers. However, this effect was st ronger for high than for low leader-member exchange (LMX) employees. L egitimacy of the account was positively related to procedural fairness . Distributive fairness was indirectly related to the independent vari ables through procedural fairness. Affective commitment of 78 of the o riginal respondents was assessed approximately 24 months after the lay off. Post-layoff affective commitment was significantly related to pro cedural but not to distributive fairness perceptions. The findings und erscore the critical role of direct supervisors in layoff announcement s as well as providing evidence of the long-term effects of procedural fairness on survivor commitment.