The Mediating Role of Organizational Indifference in the Relationship Between Organizational Justice and Job Satisfaction in the Education Sector
Keywords:
Organizational justice, organizational indifference, job satisfaction, education and trainingAbstract
The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of organizational indifference in the relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction among employees of the education sector. This study employed a mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, 16 educational managers, deputies, and experts from the Semnan Department of Education were purposively selected and interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis and coding procedures using MAXQDA software. In the quantitative phase, 242 employees were selected from a population of 607 staff members through multistage stratified sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS software. Reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and model fit indices were assessed to evaluate the measurement and structural models. The SEM results indicated that organizational justice had a significant positive effect on job satisfaction (β = 0.303, t = 2.649, p < .01). Organizational justice also exerted a significant negative effect on organizational indifference (β = -0.426, t = 3.911, p < .001). Furthermore, organizational indifference negatively affected job satisfaction (β = -0.530, t = 4.236, p < .01). Mediation analysis demonstrated a significant indirect effect of organizational justice on job satisfaction through organizational indifference (β = -0.226, t = 3.813, p < .001). The values of R², Q², f², and GOF supported the adequacy, predictive power, and overall fit of the proposed model. The findings suggest that organizational justice enhances employees’ job satisfaction both directly and indirectly by reducing organizational indifference. Establishing fair procedures, equitable resource allocation, and respectful interpersonal interactions can minimize organizational indifference and foster higher levels of job satisfaction among educational employees. Consequently, educational leaders and policymakers should prioritize organizational justice as a strategic mechanism for improving employee attitudes, well-being, and organizational effectiveness.
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