Managing to be Fair: An Exploration of Values, Motives, and Leadership

? 1989 by Cornell University. 0001 -8392/89/3402-02 52/$1 .00. This paper explores several issues of distributive justice as they are represented in the thinking practices of managers. The particular focus is on the contrast between equityand parity-based distribution logics, how these are likely to be affected by different value contexts and by personal philosophies of managing, and how justice-related concerns fit into the way managers are likely to approach allocation problems. Empirical data gathered from a sample of practicing managers concerning their preferences and reactions to standardized allocation problems indicated that managers are flexible in their use of equityand parity-based logics and that their concerns about fairness are closely connected to other value considerations. The implications for a more expansive view of justice in the workplace are discussed.