CHAPTER 7: Examining Justice from a Social Network Perspective

In this chapter, we consider what a social network perspective might add to the study of justice in organizations. We begin with the assumption that employees are embedded in networks of relationships that provide opportunities and constraints on behavior, affect, and cognitions. Going beyond the dyad, the social network perspective distinctively focuses on “third parties,” indirect connections, and the overall pattern or structure of networks. Assuming that perceptions of justice and accompanying affect are socially constructed, we explore how they spread through organizational networks. We offer mechanisms that both enhance and interrupt the diffusion, reinterpretation, and amplification of justice perceptions, and consider how individual, particular events may become collective and generalized. We offer several propositions and outline implications for future research. Our analysis suggests a reformulation of (1) who is the subject of justice, (2) what constitutes a justice event, and (3) when is the timeframe for studying justice.