Organizational justice in Chinese banks: understanding the variable influence of guanxi on perceptions of fairness in performance appraisal

Gu, Fan; Nolan, Jane; Rowley, Chris

Abstract

Drawing on survey (n = 308) and interview (n = 22) data from three different types of banks in China, we found significant differences in perceptions of organizational justice in performance appraisal processes. The state-owned bank was perceived as significantly less fair in its appraisal procedures than both its city-commercial and foreign owned counterparts. These differences could be explained, in part, by variations in the influence of guanxi on supervisor decision-making. This, in turn, was linked to differences between the banks in their organizational objectives, as well as to intra-organizational differences at the departmental level. These findings question the common assumption that national culture variables, such as guanxi, are extremely stable and have universal explanatory value in all organizational contexts.

Citation

Gu, F., Nolan, J., & Rowley, C. (2020). Organizational justice in Chinese banks: understanding the variable influence of guanxi on perceptions of fairness in performance appraisal. Asia Pacific Business Review, 26(2), 168-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2019.1700622

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 14, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 12, 2019
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 10, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2021
• Journal: Asia Pacific Business Review
• Print ISSN: 1360-2381
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-792X
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 168-189
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2019.1700622
• Keywords: China; banks; guanxi; organizational justice; performance appraisal
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3542901
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13602381.2019.1700622
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Asia Pacific Business Review on 12/12/2019, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13602381.2019.1700622