Personality and Justice—Perceptions of the Software Professionals of India

Abstract

The growth of the software industry in India requires that issues related to knowledge workers be understood and dealt with in greater detail if software professionals are to be managed effectively. Issues of appraisal and salary administration are paramount in the context of software professionals in India, and the professionals’ perceptions of fairness/unfairness of these systems are important for the design of socially valid HR systems. This study explores some of these issues. It examines the extent to which personality predicts employees’ perceptions of justice at the workplace. We defined workplace justice in terms of procedural and distributive justice and personality was conceptualized in terms of the locus of control, emotional quotient and justice orientation constructs. A survey of 310 employees was conducted across various software organizations in India. Locus of control and emotional quotient were found to be strong predictors of procedural justice, and equity orientation and emotional quotient were the best predictors for interactional justice. Results and their implications are discussed.