Relative deprivation among employees in lower-quality leader-member exchange relationships

Abstract

Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory posits that leaders develop special relationships with certain employees. By and large, prior studies have emphasized the positive aspects of LMX for employees who have high-quality exchange relationships with their supervisors (e.g., higher job satisfaction, career success). However, given the benefits that tend to accrue to employees in high-quality exchange relationships, workers who have relatively low-quality exchange relationships with their supervisors are likely to be frustrated when they compare their situation to that of their peers. Using the framework outlined by relative deprivation theory, this paper develops a theoretical model identifying when employees with relatively low-quality LMX relationships are most likely to feel aggrieved. In addition, this paper discusses the factors that may determine how employees respond to feelings of relative deprivation that arise from their LMX relationships. Directions for future research that empirically examines some of these propositions are discussed as well.