The current focus on fairness and justice issues within organizations predominantly focuses on frontline
employees, with only a limited number of studies delving into the perceptions of fairness among managerial staff.
However, understanding how supervisors react to unfair treatment by their subordinates, particularly in terms
of forgiveness and retaliation, is crucial in shaping leadership styles. This paper provides a concise review of
organizational justice perspectives and research, establishes the conceptual implications of supervisor perceptions of
unfair treatment by subordinates, and explores the repercussions of supervisor forgiveness and retaliation. Additionally,
it discusses the potential impact of these actions on group climate and individual/group effectiveness while considering
moderating variables such as emotional connections between supervisors and the organization or subordinates. The
paper proposes a conceptual framework outlining the potential consequences when supervisors experience unfair
treatment from subordinates and choose forgiveness or retaliation. The paper concludes by presenting nine research
propositions to guide future studies and suggests potential avenues for further research and practical implications.