DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE’S DIRECT AND INDIRECT LINKAGES TO TURNOVER INTENTION: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING APPROACH

Abstract

This study examines the factors that influence turnover intention among public doctors in Malaysia, which is crucial for achieving universal health coverage. Drawing from Equity Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and the concept of reciprocity, a conceptual model is proposed in which distributive justice is hypothesised to affect turnover intention both directly and indirectly through the mediating of organisational citizenship behaviour. Furthermore, the study proposes that positive reciprocity moderates the relationship between distributive justice and organisational citizenship behaviour, while negative reciprocity moderates the link between distributive justice and turnover intention. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 public doctors selected through proportionate stratified random sampling in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, using a self-administered questionnaire survey. Structural equation modelling revealed that distributive justice inversely impacts turnover intention both directly and indirectly through the partial mediation of organisational citizenship behaviour. Additionally, positive reciprocity strengthened the positive association between distributive justice and organisational citizenship behaviour, while negative reciprocity did not significantly moderate the distributive justice-turnover intention relationship. The findings underscore the importance of fostering distributive justice, organisational citizenship behaviour, and positive reciprocity norms to mitigate turnover intention among Malaysian public doctors, thereby supporting broader efforts to achieve universal health coverage