As the past twenty years of justice research have demonstrated, perceiving the workplace as fair is associated with higher levels of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, work-related effort, acceptance of work-related policies and procedures, and decreased absenteeism. However, although not always explicitly stated in theories of fairness, there has been a tacit understanding that justice perceptions are not static, but influenced by a variety of factors. In short, extant justice theories assume there are underlying dynamic elements within the construct, but the measures and previous research examining justice has assessed it as if it were a stable and static perception. The purpose of this research, therefore, was to take the first step to explore and describe the frequency and intensity of injustice perceptions at work and how individuals' affective states and traits influence these perceptions. A snow-ball sample of working individuals from across the United States provided ESM data by responding to palmtop computers at randomly scheduled intervals several times a day for 3 work weeks. Additionally, participants provided event-contingent injustice data when they perceived unfair events during their workday. The results of this examination, as well as the use of experience sampling for the study of dynamic workplace injustice, are discussed.

Past research on perceived price fairness has examined outcome fairness, or the fairness of an offered price in respect to other prices (e.g., Campbell 1999a; b). In this research consumers’ perceived fairness of the process used by the retailer to set the price, as well as outcome perceived price fairness (PPF), were examined. In the first of two studies, twelve price-setting practices were evaluated on procedural fairness, pervasiveness (i.e., commonness of price-setting practice in the marketplace), and social acceptability within six contexts. Social acceptability was found to be highest when the price-setting practice was both procedurally fair and perceived to be highly pervasive for a given context. An experiment bridged the two concepts of price fairness by detecting the negative effect of using a socially unacceptable price-setting practice on outcome PPF. Also, evidence of multidimensionality (i.e., a cognitive and an affective dimension) of the PPF construct was confirmed in the second study. Cognitive and affective assessments of PPF were found to bring about greater consumer intention to partake in self-protection behaviors such as complaining, and revenge-seeking behaviors such as posting negative online reviews.

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This study examined emotional reactions that occurred when participants compared the fairness of own outcomes to that of peer outcomes. The mediating role of emotions (pride, guilt, envy, or anger) on the fairness perceptions and the intention to engage in organizational citizenship (OCB) or counterproductive work behaviour (CWB) was assessed. Two hundred and sixty nine undergraduate business students participated in the main study. Peer evaluation vignettes were used to simulate four fairness conditions. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that perceived fairness to self interacted with perceived fairness to others, which led to emotional reactions, including pride, guilt, envy, and anger. Perceived fairness also directly influenced behaviour. However, only the negative emotions of anger and envy acted as mediators. As such, anger decreased OCB intention and increased CWB intention. Envy decreased the intention to engage in OCB. Implications of the results were discussed. / x, 128 leaves ; 29 cm

Consumers often pay different prices for the same product, and prices commonly vary across stores and time. Theories of fairness suggest that such price discrepancies will be deemed unfair, yet consumers’ perceptions of unfairness in such situations vary greatly (Haws and Bearden 2006). This dissertation aims to enrich our understanding of this issue by examining the role of threat in shaping consumers’ perceptions of unfairness. Specifically, integrating the extant literature on unfairness, affect and identity, it argues that an important basis for consumers’ perceptions of unfairness is the degree to which price differentials convey threatening information about important aspects of the consumers’ self-concept. In fact, it suggests that price differentials can convey threatening information about two distinct aspects of consumers’ identity – their perceived relational value and their personal identity - and identifies conditions under which such information is likely conveyed. Here, relational value refers to assessments of social worth and personal identity refers to the aspect of the self concerned with the achievement of individualized goals such as competence, mastery and conscience (Skitka 2003). The logic underlying this central argument is that self-threatening price differentials trigger more intense negative affect, which is subsequently used by consumers to inform their fairness judgments. The current work also examines whether price differentials that convey self-affirming information are likely to be deemed less unfair because of the positive feelings they inspire. Taken as a whole, this dissertation highlights the central role of threat in shaping consumers’ price fairness judgments. In doing so, it contributes to the fairness literature, both in marketing and more broadly, by offering an organizing framework for understanding the basis of consumers’ price fairness judgments. / Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-07 08:20:05.227

According to retributivism, what justifies punishment is a wrongdoer's desert. Critics argue that retributivists fail to provide sufficient justification for punishment. Herbert Morris offers the type of justification critics demand, providing an account of punishment that: 1) values autonomy, and 2) appeals to the principle of fairness. Punishment, in this account, restores equilibrium of benefits and burdens with respect to autonomy. Since punishment largely ignores the autonomy of the victim, however, punishment alone seems unable to ensure justice. In order to provide a more complete account of justice, I contend that one must be committed to retributivism and restoration. Indeed, restoration of the victim’s autonomy may be understood to be part of a completed deployment of the rationale for punishment.

This cross cultural study compares the fairness perceptions of New Zealand and Malaysian individual taxpayers of their respective income tax systems, and investigates the consequences of those perceptions, together with other important variables, on their compliance behaviour. A theoretical framework was developed based on Equity Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The study’s hypotheses were tested using the responses to questionnaire surveys (which included two scenarios) and in-depth telephone interviews, which were conducted sequentially in both countries. Partial Least Squares and thematic analysis were used to analyse the surveys and interviews data, respectively. The results suggest that Malaysian taxpayers have significantly better perceptions of fairness of their income tax systems than their New Zealand counterparts, yet New Zealand taxpayers are more compliant. The most consistently important factor in explaining taxpayers’ compliance behaviour across the two countries is their attitude towards compliance, followed by subjective norms. Fairness perceptions, which are highly influenced by their tax knowledge and perceived complexity of the tax system, are also influential, particularly in the understating other incomes scenario. This cross-cultural study demonstrates that regardless of the differences between the two countries under study (in relation to economies, cultures and ethnicities), taxpayers generally respond in quite similar ways when it comes to meeting their tax obligations.

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National tests have an important function in ensuring reliable grades, and grades at many schools function as a sorting instrument to upper secondary school and higher education, the purpose of this essay has been to investigate if the assessment of English national tests is fair and consistent. The purpose has also been to find out if teachers consider the national test as an important basis when determining a student’s final grade.  This particular investigation showed that national tests are assessed differently by different teachers. The investigation also showed that final grades are strongly influenced by national test grades.  It is of great importance that the assessment of the national test is fair and consistent and that the result of the assessment will be the same no matter who carries it out; however the result shows that it is open to question if the national test can be considered to contribute to comparability and fairness of grades.  The assessment differences indicate otherwise.

Inquiry into fairness of a test has been recognized as an important research activity to direct efforts to reduce bias and discrimination against certain groups of test takers, create equal opportunities for test takers to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and promote social justice. Given the importance of fairness in testing, my research examined the fairness of one large-scale high-stakes test in China—the Graduate School Entrance English Exam (GSEEE). To guide this doctoral research, I first drew on four sources of conceptual and empirical work to identify key issues encompassing test fairness. Informed by Willingham’s conceptual framework, I investigated the fairness of the GSEEE in two studies. In Study 1, I examined whether the GSEEE test items functioned differentially and brought potential bias towards test taker groups based on gender and academic background. In Study 2, I investigated perceptions of the fairness of the GSEEE as expressed by program administrators, teachers, and test takers. In conclusion, this research offers empirical information with regard to the fairness of the GSEEE from psychometric and stakeholder perspectives. The research also provides evidence that the conceptualization of test fairness is mediated by contextualized beliefs and traditions. Whether a test is perceived as fair or not is derived from considerations in both the testing process and the broad socio-cultural context. / Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-10 10:33:32.484