What Happens to a Black Sheep? Exploring How Multilevel Leader–Member Exchange Differentiation Shapes the Organizational Altruism Behaviors of Low Leader–Member Exchange Minority

Abstract

Our study focused on the low leader–member exchange (LMX) minority under the LMX differentiation context. Specifically, based on the group engagement model, we proposed that high LMX relational separation (LMXRS) impairs subordinates’ organizational altruism behaviors through undermining their procedural justice perception; furthermore, such an effect is stronger for low-LMX members in low overall LMX differentiation groups. Using data collected from 4 companies in China that included 49 teams and 273 employees, we demonstrated that high LMXRS entails a lower procedural justice perception and fewer follow-up altruism behaviors, especially for low-LMX members. Moreover, the three-way interaction result showed that the detrimental effect of high LMXRS on low-LMX members’ procedural justice perception and follow-up organizational altruism behaviors is stronger when the group-level LMX differentiation is low. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.