Conflict resolution and procedural fairness in Japanese work organizations

The purpose of this study was to examine short-term and long-term effects of perceived fairness, and to examine relational factors' effects of procedural fairness in organizational conflicts between employees and supervisors among the Japanese. We asked 154 Japanese employees working in companies to rate their perception of conflicts as well as attitudes towards their own companies. We found that both perception of procedural and distributive fairness produced short-term effects (satisfaction with outcome of conflicts) and long-term effects (positive organizational attitudes). Perceived procedural fairness was increased by appropriate treatment of the supervisors, but our prediction that this effect would be moderated by the employees' identification with organizations was not supported.