Relationship dynamics between organisational justice and organisational commitment in a Zimbabwean public sector organisation

Abstract

The general aim of the study was to investigate the statistical nature of the interrelationships between the independent variable, namely organisational justice (distributive justice, procedural justice, interpersonal justice and informational justice) and the dependant variable, namely organisational commitment (affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment). Previous studies on the relationship between organisational justice and organisational commitment are well documented. However, the correlation between these variables in a Zimbabwean public sector organisation is unknown. The study used a quantitative research approach and considered the research from a post-positivist research paradigm. A convenient sample of employees working in a public sector organisation in Zimbabwe (n=411) completed the questionnaire. Descriptive, correlational and inferential statistics revealed positive relationships between organisational justice and organisational commitment, with variations in the strength of these associations across different justice dimensions and types of organisational commitment (affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment) in a Zimbabwean public sector organisation. However, distributive justice emerged as the strongest predictor of organisational commitment among the various types of organisational justice. Moreover, the results revealed insignificant differences in employees’ perceptions regarding the relationship between organisational justice and organisational commitment based on the gender and age of the participant. The relationships confirmed in the study between the two constructs contributed to knowledge of organisational justice and organisational commitment within an African environment. From a practical viewpoint, the research findings confirm the importance of fostering perceptions of justice in the workplace, as it contributes to higher levels of commitment among employees. Therefore, public sector management should consider the impact of justice on employees' commitment levels, as it influences organisational performance and profitability. Strategies to enhance commitment should be implemented consistently across all age groups and genders.

Die algemene doel van die studie was om die statistiese aard van die onderlinge verhoudings tussen die onafhanklike veranderlike, naamlik organisatoriese geregtigheid (verdelingsgeregtigheid, prosedurele geregtigheid, interpersoonlike geregtigheid en inligtingsgeregtigheid), en die afhanklike veranderlike, naamlik organisatoriese verbintenis (affektiewe verbintenis, voortsettingsverbintenis en normatiewe verbintenis) te ondersoek. Vorige studies oor die verhouding tussen organisatoriese geregtigheid en organisatoriese verbintenis is goed gedokumenteer. Die korrelasie tussen hierdie veranderlikes in ’n Zimbabwiese openbaresektor-organisasie is egter onbekend. Die studie het gebruik gemaak van ’n kwantitatiewe, post-positivistiese navorsingsbenadering met ’n gemaklikheidsmonster van werknemers wat in ’n openbaresektor-organisasie in Zimbabwe werk (n = 411). Beskrywende, korrelasie- en inferensiële statistieke onthul positiewe verhoudings tussen organisatoriese geregtigheid en organisatoriese verbintenis, met variasies in die sterkte van hierdie assosiasies oor verskillende geregtigheidsdimensies en tipes organisatoriese verbintenis (affektiewe verbintenis, voortsettingsverbintenis en normatiewe verbintenis) in ’n Zimbabwiese openbaresektor-organisasie. Verdelingsgeregtigheid het egter na vore gekom as die sterkste voorspeller van organisatoriese verbintenis onder die verskeie tipes organisatoriese geregtigheid. Boonop onthul die resultate onbeduidende verskille in werknemers se waarnemings wat betref die verhouding tussen organisatoriese geregtigheid en organisatoriese verbintenis gebaseer op die geslag en ouderdom van die deelnemer. Die verhoudings wat bevestig is in die studie tussen die twee konstruksies dra by tot die kennis van organisatoriese geregtigheid en organisatoriese verbintenis in ’n Afrika-omgewing. Op ’n praktiese vlak ondersteun die navorsingsbevindings die idee dat die bevordering van persepsies van geregtigheid in die werkplek kan bydra tot hoër vlakke van verbintenis onder werknemers. Daarom moet openbare sektorbestuur die impak van geregtigheid op werknemers se verbintenisvlakke oorweeg, aangesien dit organisatoriese prestasie en winsgewendheid beïnvloed. Strategieë om toewyding te verbeter moet konsekwent oor alle ouderdomsgroepe en geslagte heen geïmplementeer word.

Inhloso ejwayelekile yocwaningo kwakuwukuphenya isimo sezibalo sobudlelwano phakathi kokuguquguqukayo okuzimele, okungukuthi ubulungiswa benhlangano (ubulungiswa bokusabalalisa, ubulungiswa benqubo, ubulungiswa phakathi kwabantu kanye nobulungiswa bolwazi), kanye nokuguquguqukayo okuncikile, okungukuzibophezela kwenhlangano (ukuzibophezela okusebenzayo ukuzibophezela okuqhubekayo nokuzibophezela okujwayelekile). Izifundo ezedlule mayelana nobudlelwano phakathi kobulungiswa benhlangano nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano zibhalwe kahle. Kodwa-ke, ukuhlobana phakathi kwalokhu okuguquguqukayo enhlanganweni kahulumeni yaseZimbabwe akwaziwa. Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela yocwaningo ngokwezinombolo nesampula yokukhetha ababambiqhaza ngokusekelwe ekufinyeleleni kwabo kanye nokutholakala kwabo kumcwaningi abasebenza enhlanganweni kahulumeni eZimbabwe (n = 411). Izibalo ezichazayo, ezihambisanayo nezingenasisekelo ziveza ubudlelwano obuhle phakathi kobulungiswa benhlangano nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano, nokwehluka kwamandla alezi zinhlangano ezinhlotsheni ezahlukene zobulungisa kanye nezinhlobo zokuzibophezela kwenhlangano (ukuzibophezela okusebenzayo, ukuzibophezela okuqhubekayo kanye nokuzibophezela okujwayelekile) enhlanganweni kahulumeni yaseZimbabwe. Kodwa-ke, ubulungiswa bokusabalalisa buvele njengesibikezelo esiqine kakhulu sokuzibophezela kwenhlangano phakathi kwezinhlobo ezahlukahlukene zobulungiswa benhlangano. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela iveze umehluko ongabalulekile emibonweni yabasebenzi mayelana nobudlelwano phakathi kobulungisa benhlangano nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano okusekelwe ebulilini neminyaka yomhlanganyeli. Ubudlelwano obuqinisekisiwe ocwaningweni phakathi kwalezi zakhiwo ezimbili bunomthelela olwazini lobulungiswa benhlangano nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano endaweni yase-Afrika. Imiphumela yocwaningo isekela umbono wokuthi ukukhuthaza imibono yobulungiswa emsebenzini kungaba nomthelela emazingeni aphezulu okuzibophezela phakathi kwabasebenzi. Ngakho-ke, abaphathi bezinkampani zikahulumeni kufanele bacabangele umthelela wobulungisa emazingeni okuzinikela kwabasebenzi, njengoba kunomthelela ekusebenzeni kwenhlangano kanye nenzuzo. Amasu okuthuthukisa ukuzibophezela kufanele asetshenziswe ngokuqhubekayo kuwo wonke amaqembu eminyaka yobudala nobulili.