PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AND EMPLOYEE CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOUR OF MARINE COMPANIES IN PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study “examined the relationship between procedural justice and employee citizenship behaviour of marine companies in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The study was motivated by the increasing need for employees to exhibit positive discretionary behaviours that enhance organizational effectiveness beyond formal job requirements. Procedural justice was examined as the predictor variable, while employee citizenship behaviour was measured using sportsmanship and courtesy. The study was anchored on Equity Theory propounded by John Stacey Adams (1963), which emphasizes the importance of fairness perceptions in shaping employee attitudes and behaviours. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. Data were collected from 82 employees drawn from seven marine companies in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, using a structured questionnaire titled Procedural Justice and Employee Citizenship Behaviour Index (PJECBI). The instrument achieved a reliability coefficient of 0.77 using Cronbach’s Alpha. The hypotheses were tested using Spearman Rank Order Correlation with the aid of SPSS version 25.0. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between procedural justice and employee sportsmanship (r = 0.705, p < 0.01). The study also found a significant positive relationship between procedural justice and employee courtesy (r = 0.681, p < 0.01). These results indicate that employees who perceive organizational procedures as fair, transparent, and unbiased are more likely to exhibit positive citizenship behaviours such as sportsmanship and courtesy. The study concluded that procedural justice significantly enhances employee citizenship behaviour in marine companies in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The study recommended that management of marine companies should ensure transparency in decision-making processes so that employees understand how and why organizational decisions are made, thereby encouraging sportsmanship and reducing complaints; Management should apply organizational policies consistently and fairly to all employees to promote mutual respect, trust, and courteous behaviour” in the workplace.