Impression management messages and reactions to organizational reward allocations: The mediating influence of fairness and responsibility

In this scenario‐based experiment we examined the relationships among impression management messages, evaluations of reward allocations (fairness and responsibility) and reactions to rewards (anger, approval of manager and overall job satisfaction). The results suggest that impression management messages directly influence fairness and responsibility, and indirectly influence anger and approval. Specifically, justifications and enhancements increased evaluations of fairness, excuses decreased attributions of responsibility for unfair rewards, and entitling accounts increased attributions of responsibility for fair rewards. Also, justifications and enhancements indirectly decreased anger, increased approval, and increased job satisfaction through the mediating influence of fairness. Excuses and entitling accounts indirectly decreased anger and increased approval through the mediating influence of responsibility.

Key concepts:

• Excuses
• impression management
• justifications
• organizational communication
• rewards