Parachuting the Freefall: Leader-Member Exchange Trajectory and Newcomer Socialization

Abstract

Developing a high quality leader-member exchange with the supervisor plays an important role in a newcomer’s interpersonal socilazation. Yet, previous literature has been limited by a static perspective where “snapshots” rather than dynamics of such socilazation are studied. Combining the prospect theory and the regulatory focus theory, with a four-wave survey, our research investigates the influence of LMX change on newcomers’ socialization, its mechanism and boundary conditions. Instead of treating newcomers as ones who can only be socialized passively according to their fitness to the organization, our study takes them as proactive actors who will adjust to the socialzation process with different regulatory focus (promotion focus and prevention focus). Additionally, based on the prospect theory, newcomers’ effort on socialzation may vary in accordance to their perception on the trends of their LMX changes and their judgement of its future development. Therefore, we have also proposed a moderating effect of LMX change direction on the relationship between LMX change and socialization outcomes through regulatory focus. In general, our study provides a more comprehensive understanding on the dynamics of newcomer socialization.