Leader-member Exchange Theory Research Articles

A Pilot Survey Linking Antecedents of LMX Relationships and PWDs Institutions Performance: An Assessment of PWDs Institutions in Kenya

The modern working world has made strides in building a stronger equitable society. There has been great resilience in including policies that ensure persons living with disability play their economic role. The current study was guided by two objectives: effect of transformational leader-characteristics as antecedents of LMX on organization performance in PWDs in Mombasa and Kilifi Counties and moderating effect of organization culture on LMX and organization performance in PWDs institution in Mombasa and Kilifi Counties; Leader-Member exchange theory and social exchange theory formed the theoretical foundation of this study. A conceptual framework showing the correlation of the study’s variables is also given. The study applied descriptive research design and the target population of the study was managers and subordinates at all levels within the organizations. Stratified sampling, convenience sampling and random sampling techniques were used to generate the sample size. A sample size of twenty-five (25) respondents two (2) to three (3) employees from every department. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for the study. The study conducted and applied Cronbach alpha reliability estimate. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze data. The study results provided a good governance framework of engaging their business networks within their localities. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 21 was used. One of the significant findings was the realization that there was an increment in leader-characteristics of leaders in organizations. One of the conclusions of the study was that when leaders believe in their own abilities this often-enhanced LMX relationships hence improved organizational performance. A key recommendation of this study was the need for the Government ministries concerned with PWDs mainstreaming in the organizations have specific leadership practices that help build effective LMX relationships in organizations.

Translating leader–member exchange to innovative work behaviour: The role of creative self‐efficacy and team support for innovation

Employees' innovative work behaviour (IWB) is crucial for organizations' long‐term performance and success. In particular, research has examined leadership as a crucial antecedent of IWB, but there are inconclusive results about how leader–member exchange (LMX) translates into IWB. Building on LMX theory, we examine how the relationship between LMX and IWB is translated through subordinates' creative self‐efficacy as a motivational factor and team support for innovation as a social‐relational factor. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a matched field survey with 171 subordinates and supervisors and found a positive association between LMX and IWB. Our results also show that this relationship is mediated by team support for innovation but not by creative self‐efficacy. Our findings confirm the importance of the social aspect in the innovation process and suggest that perceived social support plays a more significant role in the translation of LMX into the IWB than do individual motivational factors.

The Role of Employee Empowerment in Mediating the Effect of Leader-Member Exchange on Employee Performance in Dekranasda Riau Islands Province 2021-2024

The decline in the performance of employees at Dekranasda in the eight districts/cities of the Riau Archipelago province is the background of this research. This study aims to uncover and analyze the effect of empowerment, which mediated the effect of Leader Member Exchange (LMX) on employee performance in Dekranasda, which is dispersed toward eight regencies/the city of Riau Islands Province. The study contributes to the development of the LMX concept, which fosters its relation toward employee performance mediated by engagement. Furthermore, the study uses survey methods for gaining the data by questionnaire. The total respondents involved in this study are 303 persons in the Dekranasda Office Riau. The analysis data used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This study shows that LMX directly and significantly affects employee performance. Furthermore, empowerment affects employee performance positively but does not mediate the effect of LMX on employee performance. This study merely involves the employees of Dekranasda, who are dispersed in the eight districts/cities of the Riau Archipelago province. This study shows the importance of direct interpersonal relationships between managers and employees in the realm of public service. As suggested by the LMX theory, managers delegate responsibility and provide more support and appreciation to subordinates in the group, which is considered as empowerment. The results of this study are consistent with the LMX theory, which emphasizes the importance of interpersonal factors in the workplace, especially in the local government sphere. The results of this study can be used as a basis or input for stakeholders in Dekranasda in designing an ideal relationship between superiors and subordinates so that subordinates are able to produce good performance to achieve organizational goals.

Longitudinal associations between the rates of change in family to work enrichment, leader-member exchange, and job satisfaction

By integrating the work-home resource model with the leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, we adopt a change perspective to examine the effects of the change rate in family-to-work enrichment (FWE) on that in job satisfaction through the change rate in LMX. Using a longitudinal, multilevel sample of 360 employees in 71 teams, the results of three waves of data over eight months reveal the FWE change rate is associated positively with the LMX change rate, which, in turn, is associated positively with the job satisfaction change rate. Furthermore, we show that LMX differentiation at Time 1 moderates the FWE change rate's effect on the LMX change rate over time, such that the relation is stronger when the LMX differentiation is high at Time 1. Moreover, the LMX change rate mediates the interactive effects of the FWE change rate and Time 1 LMX differentiation on the job satisfaction change rate over time. The results also show that the initial level of FWE is related positively with the LMX change rate, but not with the job satisfaction change rate. These findings emphasize the importance of studying changes in family-work research and providing new insights into the processes of the FWE change rate's effects on the change rates of important work outcomes over time.

Paternalist Liderlik ve Örgütsel Vatandaşlık Davranışı Arasındaki İlişkide İçsel Motivasyonun Aracı Rolü

This study aims to investigate the effect of paternalistic leadership on organizational citizenship behavior through intrinsic motivation. Hypotheses were developed within the scope of leader-member exchange theory to determine these relationships. The research was conducted with 292 people working in both public and private sectors in Erzincan province by using the survey method. The data obtained in the research were analyzed with SPSS 21 program. It was found that all hypotheses put forward in the research were supported. Paternalistic leadership has a significant and positive relationship with intrinsic motivation. Paternalistic leadership variable was found to have a positive relationship with intrinsic motivation variable. Paternalistic leadership variable was found to have a positive relationship with organizational citizenship variable. Organizational citizenship behavior and intrinsic motivation variables were also found to have a significant and positive relationship. In addition, the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation was determined as a result of the analyzes.

Navigating the green path: Unraveling the follower green awareness impact on leader green organizational commitment through moderation and mediation model

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to explore how the green awareness of followers influences the green organizational commitment of leaders. This investigation took into account the moderating role of followers perceived organizational support and the mediating effect of leaders' green intrinsic motivation. Design/methodology/approachThe quantitative data collected from pharmaceutical companies was analyzed through SEM-PLS and Johnson–Neyman's moderated mediation plot. FindingsThe findings reveal the significance of all hypotheses. Follower green awareness emerges as a crucial catalyst for instigating green practices within pharmaceutical companies, concurrently fostering leaders' commitment to environmentally friendly initiatives. Additionally, Leader Green Intrinsic Motivation (LGIM) plays a partial mediating role in the association between Follower Green Awareness (FGA) and Leader Green Organizational Commitment (LGOC). Notably, the indirect relation involving FGA, LGIM, and LGOC is subject to moderation by Follower Perceived Organizational Support (FPOS). Practical implicationsThese results highlight the pivotal role of Follower Green Awareness (FGA) in promoting eco-friendly practices within companies. Consequently, organizations should prioritize recruiting, retaining, and investing in followers who possess a heightened level of green awareness to reinforce Leader Green Organizational Commitment. The perspective of green followership holds significant importance in advancing sustainability efforts. Originality/valueThis research examined Shamir's (2007) ``Reversing the Lens'' viewpoint, asserting that followers hold a crucial position in leadership. The results indicated that followers play an equally significant role as leaders in the context of effective green leadership. Furthermore, the findings expand upon the Leader-Member Exchange theory by proposing that followers contribute valuable resources to leaders, including knowledge, expertise, and support.

A Purposeful Approach to LMX Differentiation: The Role of LMX With Key Members

A central idea in the leader-member exchange (LMX) literature is that leaders, due to the limited organizational and personal resources available to them, often struggle with developing and maintaining high-quality exchange relationships with all of their members. As a natural consequence, leaders typically form high-quality relationships with a select few members—often those who seem likable or are similar to the leader—while maintaining formal and distant relationships (i.e., low-quality LMX) with others. This form of differentiated treatment of members creates tensions in team dynamics. In this paper, we propose that leaders can mitigate the downsides of leader-member exchange differentiation (LMXD) for team dynamics by being more purposeful and strategic in how they differentiate in their treatment of members. Specifically, we posit that when leaders strategically develop high-quality LMX relationships with key members—individuals occupying influential positions in team social networks—such key members will engage in behaviors that buffer the negative impact of LMXD on team dynamics. Our framework integrates LMX theory with perspectives from social networks research to illustrate how strategic differentiation influences task and relational team dynamics. Finally, we discuss recommendations for empirically testing, theoretical extensions, and practical implications of this framework.

리더-구성원 교환 관계(LMX)와 상호작용 공정성이 조직몰입과 조직충성도에 미치는 영향력에 대한 고찰: 교회조직을 중심으로

The purpose of the study is to propose an exploratory research model for identifying the factors influential to Christian church members’ organizational commitment and organizational loyalty. Church members have different characteristics and purposes when they join a church in a sense that they pursue not economic benefits but psychological, emotional, and ultimately spiritual values, which cannot be fulfilled by generous or common leadership. Proposing an alternative leadership model, I focused on the LMX, or Leader Member Exchange theory and the moderating effects of Interaction Justice which will positively affect organizational commitment and loyalty by church members. In consideration of the nature of church organizations, LMX and Interaction Justice are appropriate choices as independent variables, since these are addressing mental sides of leadership rather than physical ones. Hopefully, this study will be helpful for succeeding empirical studies which will contribute to enhance church leaders’ effective leadership.

Were Relationships in the Workplace Changed? An Exploration of the Impacts of the Mandatory Work from Home Policy on Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses in Switzerland

Small- and medium-sized family business competitiveness is built largely upon trusted relationships between owners, management, and employees. This paper questions whether the quality of such relationships were changed by the work from home policy (WFH) utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 This research analyses how mandatory WFH impacted interpersonal relationships between employees and supervisors in small and medium-sized family businesses (SMFB) by applying leader-member exchange theory (LMX). Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with owners or the executive management of Swiss SMFB. The study concludes that WFH affects the quality of the relationship between leaders and their employees. WFH is beneficial for the family business and its special relationships as long as all parties can count on well-established, trusted relationships and motivated and open-minded leaders who are capable of keeping the level of interpersonal communication with their employees well balanced. Where employees are struggling with WFH tasks while perceiving a denaturation of the leader-employee relationship a “call back to office” should be considered and indicates that effort is needed to improve the interpersonal relationship. A decent level of mutual trust between the parties helps firms to go through or overcome the down sides and turbulences under WFH and supports maintaining and enhancing leader-follower relationships during challenging times.

Transformational Leadership Style and Organizational Performance in The Ministry Of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Kenya.

The effectiveness of Kenyan government ministries in delivering their mandates has long been a concern. This raises an issue with type of leadership approach that has always been adopted by these government ministries. A notable case, has been seen at the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development. It is foreseeable that in reality, competent management and leadership have determined successful or unsuccessful operations in many other agencies and organizations at large. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether and to what degree democratic style of leadership affect performance of Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Government. This study looked at the effect of transformational leadership style on the performance of Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Kenya. This study relied on transformational leadership theory, path goal theory, team leadership theory and leader member exchange theory frameworks. This study used a descriptive research approach and targeted 188 employees at the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in the government of Kenya. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires and thereafter analyzed descriptively using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) version 26. The findings from the study revealed that employee motivation had a significant positive effect on organizational performance of Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Kenya. The study found that 36.7% in variation of performance was attributable to employee motivation. However, the study found that employee work commitment had a moderate negative significant effect on organizational performance of Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Kenya. Lastly, the researcher found that employee creativity significantly and positively affected organizational performance of the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Kenya. the study found that 62.4% in variation of performance was aa a result of employee creativity. The therefore concluded that employee motivation and employee influenced organizational performance whereas employee work commitment negatively influenced organizational performance. The researcher therefore recommended that management and policy makers need to emphasize on the need for strategy and policy formulation that fosters creativity among employees for them to achieve better performance. Future research was recommended to be done on the effect of leadership attributes on sustainable performance of government ministries in Kenya. 

Hybrid Leadership and Its Relationship to Inclusion in Healthcare

Leadership is critical in managing healthcare organizations to address financial limitations, availability of skilled workforce, globalization, disruptive innovation, new technology, and hyper-competition. This challenging environment has forced many healthcare organizations to change their bureaucratic organizational structure to a more organic one headed by leaders rather than managers. There are many leadership styles to consider for healthcare leaders. However, this research focuses on nine leadership and hybrid leadership styles to determine significant relationships to inclusion in the workplace. We used the VanSimpco Leadership Survey and Chung et al.’s Work Group Inclusion scale to survey 174 healthcare employees. We found that autocratic, autocratic-transformational, democratic-transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles impacted workplace inclusion uniqueness. Democratic, autocratic-transformational, and autocratic-transactional leadership styles impacted workplace inclusion belongingness. This research is based on Leader-Member Exchange and Optimal Distinction theories.

Critical Review of Theories of Staff Turnover Intentions and their Implications to Staff Turnover in National Non-governmental Organizations in South Sudan

An employee remains to be one of the most valuable resources of an organization. Unfortunately, high turnover rate in the national non-governmental organizations in South Sudan continues to be a concern for them and various stakeholders. This is because organizations spend a lot of resources in training and investing in their employees. The purpose of the study was to review the various theories that explain staff turnover with the aim of understanding their distinct views. The methodology involved the review of literature of turnover theories and models. The researcher was able to find six theories that helped to explain the phenomenon of staff turnover, and each provided distinct factors that when not addressed could lead to staff turnover. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which identified different human needs which if not met could lead to staff turnover. Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory revealed two factors that need to be addressed by an organization, namely, “motivation factors” and “hygiene factors”. The Social Exchange Theory explains that turnover intentions come because of non-compliance with the agreed rules by either the management or the staff. LMX Theory emphasized the importance of maintaining good relationships between leaders and members in different groups to promote better performance at work and minimize staff turnover. Keywords: Staff Turnover, Turnover intention theories, The Theory of organizational Equilibrium, Theory of job embeddedness and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory.

Evaluating the Impact of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory on the Interactions Between Managers and Employees in Chosen Ghanaian Banking Institutions

Purpose - The objective of this study is to explore how employee results, including job performance and job contentment, are linked to evaluations made by both employees and managers concerning the caliber of. the leader-member relationship (referred to as LMX). Design/Methodology/Approach – A correlational design and descriptive survey method were employed to collect data through a questionnaire administered to both superiors and their subordinates. The study utilized data from 10 banks to test the hypothesis. Findings: The study revealed a moderate link in relation to the exchanges within leader-member relationships and their impact on employee job performance. The investigation identified a minor but positive association between the motivation of employees and the efficacy of interactions between leaders and subordinates. The gender of leaders did not notably affect the caliber of interactions between leaders and followers.

The effect of top‐down knowledge hiding on subordinates' task performance in Chinese R&D projects: the mediating role of leader‐member ‘guanxi’

Although a growing number of studies on project knowledge hiding have identified the consequences of peer knowledge hiding in research and development (R&D) project settings, the effects of project managers' knowledge hiding on subordinates' task performance remain underexplored. Drawing on leader–member exchange theory, this study explores how different dimensions of project managers' knowledge hiding affect subordinates' task performance through leader‐member guanxi. Data were collected from a sample of 143 manager‐subordinate dyads in Chinese R&D teams. The results indicate that project managers' evasive hiding and playing dumb had negative influences on subordinates' task performance. Leader–member guanxi partially mediates the relationship between project managers' evasive hiding and subordinates' task performance. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications and limitations are discussed.

Why Do Supervisors Abuse Certain Subordinates? Goal Orientation and Leader–Member Exchange as Antecedents

In this study, we draw from moral exclusion perspective to theorize leader–member exchange (LMX) and subordinate goal orientation as antecedents of abusive supervision. In addition, we integrate LMX theory to propose LMX as a mediating mechanism through which goal orientation influences abusive supervision and consequently task performance. We tested our hypotheses through two cross-cultural multi-method studies. In a field study with South Korean employees (Study 1), we found that LMX and abusive supervision serially mediated the relationship between performance-prove goal orientation (PPGO) and task performance. In an online vignette study with American employees (Study 2), we found that LMX and learning goal orientation were negatively associated with abusive supervision. Furthermore, we found support that LMX mediated the relationship between all three dimensions of goal orientation (learning, performance-prove, and performance-avoid) and abusive supervision. Combing both studies, we found strong evidence that subordinates with high PPGO form positive relationships with their supervisors which elicit less supervisory abuse. Implications for management theory and practice are discussed.

Understanding the drivers of organizational business performance from the human capital perspective

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to understand the drivers of organizational business performance from the perspective of human capital. Data were collected from 691 employees working in 15 North American credit unions. The model was developed and tested by means of the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling technique. This study illuminates an underexplored mechanism driving the association between transformational leadership and business performance based on several theoretical frameworks such as leader–member exchange theory, the conservation of resources theory, the heuristic model of employee turnover, equity theory, and capital‐based view. The findings indicate that transformational leaders provide their subordinates with constructive feedback and offer training and development (T&D) opportunities, which are the key factors driving employee job satisfaction. Employee job satisfaction curtails turnover intention, which, in turn, reduces human capital outflow and, consequently, increases business performance. Managers should always act as true transformational leaders and provide their subordinates with relevant performance feedback and ample T&D opportunities. Workers who undergo T&D at the expense of their organization become more loyal and are less likely to leave even though they become more marketable. Organizations are recommended to administer periodic employee satisfaction surveys and prevent the exodus of human capital, which may be difficult to replenish.

Being on the same page matters: A meta-analytic investigation of leader-member exchange (LMX) agreement.

Although leader-member exchange (LMX) theory offers a detailed account of leader-follower relationship building, the importance of LMX agreement as a theoretically meaningful relational phenomenon has received less attention. This has, in turn, limited scholarly understanding of its pivotal role in leader-follower relationships. We conducted a meta-analysis to synthesize the substantive implications of LMX agreement for leader-follower relationships and to further understand which factors may influence its variation across samples. Results from the random-effects metaregression analyses provided strong support for the moderating role of LMX agreement at the between-study level. Specifically, with higher levels of sample-level LMX agreement, the relationships between LMX and followers' task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors were stronger. Moreover, different national culture configurations (i.e., horizontal individualism vs. vertical collectivism) and changes in relationship tenure were significantly associated with LMX agreement. We also examined a host of methodological factors, which generally had a very limited impact on the study findings. Overall, these meta-analytic findings suggest LMX agreement should be considered as a key relational contingency in LMX theory, as it can help unlock the full potential of high-quality leader-follower relationships. Moreover, as a substantively meaningful phenomenon, its variation across situations is intricately related to contextual influences. Based on our theoretical integration and empirical synthesis, we discuss the implications for LMX theory and identify important directions for the next stages of LMX research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Supervisor Relationships on Auditor Turnover Intentions Using Leader-Member Exchange Theory

ABSTRACT This study expands understanding of auditor relationships and turnover by introducing the measurement of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) to an audit setting. LMX—which considers overall quality of subordinates’ relationships with their supervisor—is well established in the management literature but has previously only been referred to as a theoretical construct in the audit literature. Utilizing a well-validated scale, we measure LMX with 167 practicing auditors. We find LMX with a single supervisor significantly impacts retention via organizational commitment. This finding is novel in the LMX literature given the unique audit setting where subordinates have multiple supervisors and transitory teams. In an exploratory analysis, we also find female subordinates form lower-quality relationships with supervisors, regardless of supervisor sex, which in turn can influence the impact of LMX on organizational commitment. Results demonstrate the value of measuring LMX in audit research and practically highlight the importance of fostering positive, strong auditor-supervisor relationships. Data Availability: Contact the authors. JEL Classifications: L2; M40; M42; M50.

The Effectiveness of Project Implementation Recognizing the Interaction between LMX and Charismatic Leadership Attainment

The present investigation examines the effectiveness of the implementation facets of the project. This study aims to depict the operational conduct of both followers and leaders within project organizations, specifically in the context of construction companies operating in Thailand’s oil and gas industries, and to explore the effectiveness of their interrelationships. The study examines the impact of charismatic leadership on citizenship behavior, project effectiveness in project organizations, and the point of project implementation. Furthermore, to enhance understanding of the role through a moderated mediation analysis of the theoretical construct within the research paradigm. The study sample comprised 450 individuals who were employed for the project. The study utilized a moderated mediation analysis to collect and analyze the data. The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory provides a theoretical framework for examining the conditional effects of focal predictors at the moderator’s value of LMX. The hypothesis supports the models that the effectiveness of project implementation is more robust when the story of the relationships between charismatic leadership and employees within citizenship behavior and effectiveness be mediation. The findings indicate the leader is optimistic and passionate, which makes followers want to follow and gives them challenging tasks and higher expectations. Under radical organizational change, charisma and trust in a leader are strong. However, research suggests charisma isn’t simple trait leaders have. Accordingly, Leader-Member Exchange did not interact with charismatic leadership’s effect on project implementation through citizenship behavior and effectiveness. Leader-Member Exchange mediates negative affectivity and performance.

Employee resilience and mentoring functions as moderators of the relationship between workplace hazing and affective organizational commitment

Although numerous studies have discussed hazing through qualitative methods, few have investigated workplace hazing as an antecedent, and the mechanisms influencing the relationship between workplace hazing and affective organizational commitment (AOC) in hospitality contexts. The present study applied leader-member exchange theory and the challenge–hindrance stressor framework to determine the roles of employee resilience and mentoring functions in buffering the negative effects of workplace hazing on AOC. A multi-group analysis was conducted on data collected from newcomers working at hotels in China. The results revealed that workplace hazing significantly and negatively influenced AOC. Both Employee resilience and mentoring functions positively correlated with AOC and buffered the negative relationship between workplace hazing and AOC. This study provides insights into how employee programs can be enhanced to reduce the negative effects of workplace hazing on AOC in the hospitality industry.