Examining the Impact of Distributive Justice and Goal Clarity on Turnover Intention in the South Korean Government: Do Leadership Styles Matters?

Abstract

Although the relationships between various managerial practices to promote employee work motivation and organizational consequences depend on leadership behaviors, little empirical research has been conducted on how leadership styles condition the impact of distributive justice and goal clarity on employee turnover intentions in public sector organizations. In this regard, we investigate the direct effects of distributive justice and goal clarity on turnover intention by drawing on two motivation theories (i.e., equity theory and goal-setting theory); we also explore the moderating role of transactional and transformational leadership on the relationships based on social exchange theory. Using survey data obtained from Korean central and local governments, we found that distributive justice and goal clarity are negatively associated with employee turnover intention. Furthermore, our findings revealed that transactional leadership alleviates the negative association between distributive justice and turnover intention, whereas transformational leadership enhances the negative relationship between goal clarity and turnover intention. The evidence indicates that public organizations should develop efficient managerial practices, with careful consideration of the compatibility of employee motivation processes and leadership styles, to encourage employees to remain with their organizations for longer periods.