Suppression and justification processes to reduce in-group bias in a multiculturalism diversity context

IntroductionThis study investigates the impact of an organisational multiculturalism perspective of diversity on in-group bias towards people of foreign origin.ObjectiveWe hypothesise that organisational multiculturalism constitutes a norm which creates a positive context for intergroup relations. We expect that when workers perceive that their organisation recognises group differences, their own values are influenced, namely egalitarian values and perceived value violation. The value-related mediators are conceptualised in the frame of justification-suppression model (Crandall & Eshleman, 2003) respectively as suppression and justification.MethodData were collected from a sample of 402 workers who completed an anonymous questionnaire.ResultsBased on structural equation modelling, results show that the perception of organisational multiculturalism is negatively and indirectly related to in-group bias through both suppression and justification processes.ConclusionThis study highlights that the perception of the normative context of an organisation is related to workers’ attitudes. The results are discussed consistent with the literature on diversity.     

Justice and employee attitudes during organizational change: The mediating role of overall justice

IntroductionSeveral studies have investigated the mediating role of overall justice (OJ) in the relationships between specific dimensions of justice and employee attitudes. However, prior research has neglected to examine OJ during the process of organizational change, as suggested in fairness heuristic theory (FHT).ObjectiveThis study aims to replicate the results of previous studies and expand them by examining, in two contexts of organizational change implementation, the mediating role of OJ in the relationships between procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice (PJ, ITJ, and IFJ, respectively) and employee attitudes (job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and organizational commitment).MethodologyWe surveyed 537 employees experiencing a company reorganization (Study 1) and 188 employees experiencing a merger (Study 2).ResultsEach dimension of justice is related to OJ, which in turn is associated to employee attitudes. Furthermore, bootstrap results indicated that OJ mediates the effects of PJ, ITJ, and IFJ on job satisfaction and turnover intentions (in both studies), and on affective, normative, and continuance commitment (in Study 2).ConclusionOur findings show the importance of fairness during organizational change. Treating employees fairly in times of change is crucial for managers.     

Pronostic de l’intention de départ chez les sapeurs-pompiers volontaires en France

The fire departments in France currently experience a growing need in volunteer stuff. At the same time the turnover rate among volunteers remains high. Intention to leave was mainly examined on the population of permanent workers, while the antecedents of intention to leave among volunteers are still undervalued. We suggest the existence of specific effects different from those previously coined out in standard organisational settings. Thus, the present study seeks to identify first- and second-order factors of intention to leave among volunteer fire-fighters. The literature review leads us to the proposition of three conceptual models that vary in terms of main mediators. Either job satisfaction, or organisational commitment, or both of them are envisaged as having the main mediating effect in the model. One hundred and thirty-nine volunteer fire-fighters returned completed questionnaires. The data was further analysed via path analysis in LISREL 8.80. The results partly confirm the model, according to which job satisfaction mediates the effects of organisational commitment, job involvement, perceived organisational support and motivation. Two variables – satisfaction with supervisors and length of service – are identified as main predictors of intention to leave. Job involvement and perceived organisational support are confirmed as second-order mediators of the effects exercised onto turnover intention by affective and normative commitment, satisfaction with colleagues and work, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The results also indicate the necessity to examine the role of different dimensions of organisational attitudinal variables independently. Thus, the most salient dimension of satisfaction refers to the relationship with supervisors. As regards organisational commitment, its calculate dimension appears to have no significant effects at all; while affective one is characterised by a weak effect on intention to leave contrary to the results previously reported. The only individual variable having a significant effect on intention to leave is the volunteer fire-fighter's length of service. We conclude that instead of seeking to identify the appropriate selection criteria helping to reduce the existing turnover rate among volunteer fire-fighters, it is time to focus further research on the practices of organisational socialisation in order to reduce the current level of turnover. The main conclusion of the study emphasises the role the attitudes towards organisation plays in the decision of a volunteer fire-fighter to resign.     

Are organisational politics responsible for turnover intention in French Firefighters?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of different facets of perceived organisational politics and workplace attitudes onto turnover intention in the French Fire and Rescue service.MethodologyAn electronic survey was administered to fire department employees (n = 255) to investigate the effects of different forms of perceived organisational politics (POP) onto turnover intention, and test for mediation by affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction with structural equation modelling (Lisrel 8.80).FindingsBoth pay-and-promotion and general perceived organisational politics indirectly predicted turnover intention in French firefighters, although the total effect of pay-and-promotion politics was greater than general politics. Affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction mediated the effect of perceived organisational politics onto turnover intention.Practical implicationsPublic organisations, which have recently undergone reorganisations, should monitor perceptions of organisational politics to better understand the association with attitudes (such as affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction), as well as to predict turnover intention.Originality/valueThe study goes expands on the identification of various turnover intention's antecedents to contribute to consider understanding of its reasons, such as perceived organisational politics, where pay-and-promotion politics appears to be more salient factor than general politics. Affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction mediate the effects of POP onto turnover intention with nuanced effects. We also generated support for the order of factors in the model, where job satisfaction is a first-order predictor of turnover intention and organisational commitment second-order one. The POP Scale (Kacmar & Ferris, 1991) was validated in French.     

La croyance au monde juste comme facteur explicatif de diverses réactions à des injustices professionnelles

The belief in a just world is defined as the tendency to consider that “people get what they deserve and deserve what they get”, i.e. to consider that the world is, globally, a place of justice. Facing an individual unjustly victim of negative events and for whom it seems impossible to restore the justice objectively, we frequently deny the existence of the unjustice, even if we say the responsible of what he gets. But if we can react by adopting “passive” reactions (using the victim’s moral or behavioral responsibility, as in Lerner, or evocating a future favoring the victim,..), we can also adopt “active” strategies which can lead to an objective re-establishment of the justice. In the present study, we examined the influence of the degree of the belief in the just world on the selected strategy facing professional injustices. And effectively, our results indicate a some preferences in the use of such or strategy, preferences accentuated by the gender and the professional statute.     

La reprise d’études universitaires : entre continuité et rupture

The presented study pursued the objective to analyze the dialectic break/continuity susceptible to cross the transition of resumption of studies to the university, of the decision-making in the real-life experience of the first one-month of training. For that purpose, two models were summoned, that of motivations Push/Pull, Antipush/Antipull of Mullet, Lunch, Lemaire, Raiff and Barthorpe (2000) and that of the transitional processes proposed by Perret-Clermont and Zittoun (2002), as well as the concept of perceived social support completed of the notion of perceived social brake. The analysis of semi-directive conversations led with 10 adults in resumption of studies in a university of Île-de-France first brought to the foreground four motivational, certain dynamics more marked with the seal of the break (early or consummate), others more registered in a professional continuity (to develop or to install). Then, the analysis identified the most notable upheavals of the experience of the first months of training (identity plan and management of the various spheres of activity). Finally, it appeared that the social supports perceived, although important throughout the transition, vary in nature and function in each of the two periods of transition studied (decision, beginning of training). The results are particularly discussed in terms of Amartya Sen's capability approach.