An Examination of Procedural Justice Principles in China and the U.S.

This paper examines procedural justice principles from a cultural perspective, and examines the relationships between three dimensions of national culture (uncertainty avoidance, societal emphasis on collectivism, and gender egalitarianism), three principles of procedural justice (consistency, social sensitivity, and account-giving), and judgments of fairness. The results suggest that culture can influence employees' perceptions of the fairness of procedural justice principles; different dimensions of national culture influence different principles of procedural justice. The principle of social sensitivity was perceived as fairer in collectivistic China than in individualistic U.S. In addition, differences between men and women in perceived fairness of account-giving were exaggerated in China (a culture low in gender egalitarianism) and attenuated in the U.S. (a culture high in gender egalitarianism).