PERCEPTIONS OF INJUSTICE AND ALIENATION DYNAMICS WITHIN THE WORKPLACE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between perceptions of injustice and alienation dynamics within the public service in Trinidad. The two dimensions of organisational justice - procedural and distributive justice - were expected to predict alienation. In addition, the study explored the mediating role of disconfirmed expectations on the relationship between perceived organisational injustice and work alienation. Using multistage cluster sampling, 494 individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 years participated in the study. A series of Pearson correlation, regression and a path analysis were used in the study. The findings revealed that both distributive and procedural justice influenced alienation at the bivariate level of analysis. However, at the multivariate stage, only procedural justice had a direct effect on alienation. Disconfirmed expectations had a significant positive relationship with alienation. The path analysis indicated that disconfirmed expectations mediated the relationship between both dimensions of organisational justice and alienation. There was partial support of the proposed conceptual model.