Ma. Korsgaard et al., WHAT MOTIVATES FAIRNESS - THE ROLE OF SUBORDINATE ASSERTIVE-BEHAVIOR ON MANAGERS INTERACTIONAL FAIRNESS, Journal of applied psychology, 83(5), 1998, pp. 731-744
This study investigated the proposition that a subordinate's communica
tion style can affect a manager's fairness behavior during decision ma
king and, consequently, can affect the subordinate's attitudes toward
the decision, manager, and organization. Two studies were conducted to
test these propositions in the context of performance appraisal decis
ions. First, a laboratory study demonstrated that appraisers engage in
more interactionally fair behavior when interacting with an assertive
appraisee than with an unassertive appraisee. Second, a quasiexperime
ntal field design showed that training employees on assertiveness, whe
n coupled with self-appraisal, is associated with positive attitudes t
oward the appraisal and trust in the manager. Implications for underst
anding the causes of fair behavior and improving the fairness of decis
ions are discussed.