Organizational Justice and Resource Support as Antecedents of Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Support

Work engagement is an important employee outcome for manufacturing organizations facing technological change, production pressure, and evolving workforce expectations. This narrative literature review examines how organizational justice and resource support may be associated with work engagement among manufacturing employees in Guangdong, China, with perceived organizational support (POS) considered as a potential mediating mechanism. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), Organizational Support Theory (OST), and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the review integrates foundational theoretical work with selected empirical studies on procedural and distributive justice, supervisor support, career development, POS, and work engagement. Organizational justice concerns employees’ perceptions of fair procedures and outcomes, whereas resource support concerns the practical, relational, and developmental assistance available to them. These experiences may shape employees’ broader beliefs about whether the organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being. POS may, in turn, be associated with employees’ willingness to invest energy, dedication, and attention in their work. The review highlights the complementary contributions of the three theories, distinguishes organizational support from supervisor support, and identifies the need to test the proposed integrated model in manufacturing settings rather than assume that findings from other occupations generalize to Guangdong. It concludes with implications for theory, measurement, and future empirical research.