Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

Discussion and Conclusion
Challenges in the Era of Globalization
Edited by Emmanuel Obuah
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of POJ (PJ and IJ) and MC on the HF. We also
explore the mediating role of MU on the relationship between PJ and HF on the one hand, and IJ and HF
on the other hand. Using social exchange perspective, we tested our hypotheses using data from Ghana
from sub-Saharan Africa and India from Asia. The findings show that both employees’ perceptions of PJ
and IJ influence MC and HF in the samples from the two countries. Moreover, employees’ perceptions of
MU also influence the HF in the two countries. The findings further show that mutual commitment
mediates the relationship between organizational justice and the HF. However, the mediating effect of
MC on the link between POJ and HF is different in the two countries. While we found full support for the
mediating effects of the relationships in the Indian sample, the Ghana sample provided partial support.
These findings are intriguing considering that both Ghana and India’s national culture are classified as
being low on individualism and high on power distance (Hofstede, 1980).
The findings from both Ghana and India, which are high on collectivism, power distance and masculinity,
indicate that perceptions of fair procedural and interactional justice can engender employees’ attachment,
loyalty and identification with their organizations even in high power distance cultural environments.
Thus, in societies and cultures with high power distance as in Ghana and India, employees may tolerate
unfair treatment from organizational procedures and people in authority, but that does not mean that they
accept the legitimization of inequality created in institutions and organizations as suggested by Hofstede
(1980). In those societies, the existence of high power distance may be a sign of respect and reverence
for those in authority but employees also demand curing, nurturing and fair treatment by organizations
and their leadership.
Furthermore, the findings the two countries show that POJ can contribute to improving employee
attitudes and behaviors in organizations, in addition to leveraging their skills and capabilities to the
benefit of their organizations. The findings from the Ghana sample indicate that IJ enhances the
behavioral qualities embodied in the four HF dimensions of MOCAP, HBEHAV, HUCAP, and
HCAPAB. However, PJ only leads to proactive moral behaviors from employees. In fact, it hinders
employees’ behavior towards improving their human capital. Conversely, the Indian findings suggest that
employees’ perceptions of PJ encourage that demonstration of all the dimensions of the HF (MOCAP,
HBEHAV, HUCAP, and HCAPAB). This is consistent with the study by Moon et al (2008) which
showed that employees in India are more likely to engage in taking charge behaviors when they perceive
that their organizations are procedurally just. Also, IJ leads them to reciprocate in pro-social behaviors
and the leveraging of their capabilities for the benefit of their organizations. These finding are reflections
of the collectivistic cultural orientation of the Ghanaian and Indian societies (Hofstede, 1980). PJ, is
however, more important to employees from India than those from Ghana because it elicits more positive
behaviors, knowledge bases and skills in India than Ghana.
The findings from the two countries clearly show that MC influences all the components on HF except
HUCAP in Ghana. The findings indicate that HF reflects a covenantal relationship such that employees
may develop and utilize positive social behaviors and capabilities in response to MC to demonstrate HF
qualities. The findings from the mediating relationships show that IJ crucial in understanding the HF
behavioral qualities in Ghana. IJ influences HF in two ways: first, directly affecting the extent to which
employees engage in proactive behaviors and utilize their capabilities which underlie the HF, and second,
indirectly by influencing the reciprocal relationships that employees have with their organizations.
Though the findings from the Indian sample with respect to the mediating effect of MC on the IJ-HF link
were consistent with the Ghana sample, MC fully mediated the relationship for MOCAP, HBEHAV and
HCAPAB. The findings further indicate that PJ enhances MC, which in turn influences the HF in the
Indian sample. On the other hand, MC fully mediated the PJ-HBEHAV and PJ- HCAPAB, but MC
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