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To Help or Not to Help? Personal Value for Diversity Moderates the Relationship Between Discrimination Against Minorities and Citizenship Behavior Toward Minorities

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Abstract

Using the scope of justice perspective (Deutsch in J Soc Issues 31(3):137–149, 1975; Opotow in Conflict, cooperation, and justice: essays inspired by the work of Morton Deutsch, 1995, J Soc Issues 52:19–24, 1996), we examined whether and how the relationship between perceived discrimination against minorities at work (i.e., racial minorities and females) and citizenship behavior toward minorities can be modified by personal value for diversity. Based on a survey of 173 employees, unexpectedly, we found a negative relationship between perceived discrimination against minorities at work and citizenship behavior toward minorities. However, consistent with our expectations and the scope of justice, we found that the negative relationship was attenuated for those high in personal value for diversity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Management and Human Resources Department, The University of Wisconsin—Madison, 975 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, U.S.A.

    María del Carmen Triana

  2. Korea University Business School, LG-POSCO 323, Anam-Dong, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 136-701, South Korea

    Kwanghyun Kim

  3. Department of Marketing and Management, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968-5348, U.S.A.

    María Fernanda García

Authors
  1. María del Carmen Triana
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  2. Kwanghyun Kim
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  3. María Fernanda García
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Correspondence to María del Carmen Triana.

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Triana, M., Kim, K. & García, M.F. To Help or Not to Help? Personal Value for Diversity Moderates the Relationship Between Discrimination Against Minorities and Citizenship Behavior Toward Minorities. J Bus Ethics 102, 333–342 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0817-x

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