Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of authentic leadership on the work–family balance (WFB) of followers by focusing on the mediating roles of leader–member exchange (LMX) and work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and the moderating role of traditionality in China.

Keyword

Authentic leadership ;  Leader-member exchange ;  Work-family issues ;  Work-life balance

Abstract

Drawing on the work-home resources model, this study examines how and why empowering leadership influences followers' work-family conflict (WFC) and work-family positive spillover (WFPS). We focus on the mediating roles of leader-member exchange (LMX) and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) and the moderating role of followers' political skills. The results from a two-wave field survey of 272 employees in a state-owned enterprise in China indicate that LMX mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and WFPS and that OBSE mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and WFC. Moreover, political skills strengthen the main effects of empowering leadership on LMX and OBSE and the mediating effect of LMX on the relationship between empowering leadership and WFPS. Our findings have theoretical and managerial implications and indicate new research directions for leadership and work-family issues.

Keyword

Empowering leadership ;  leader-member exchange ;  organization-based self-esteem ;  political skill ;  work-family conflict ;  work-family positive spillover

Abstract

Organizations increasingly depend on employee efforts to innovate. However, the quality of relationships between leaders and employees may affect the recognition that employees receive for their innovative work behaviors. Drawing from a social cognition perspective, we tested a model in which leader-member exchange (LMX) moderates the impact of employee innovative work behavior on supervisory ratings of employee performance. Results from two multisource studies combining self, colleague, and supervisor ratings consistently showed that employees receive more favorable performance ratings by engaging in innovative work behavior when they have high-quality LMX relationships. Moreover, we found that this interactive relationship was mediated by leader perceptions of innovative employee efforts, providing support for a moderated mediation model. Implications for the literatures on performance appraisal, LMX, and innovation are discussed.

Keyword

employee innovation ;  innovative work behavior ;  leader-member exchange ;  LMX ;  performance appraisal ;  performance ratings

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the factor structure of the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) in the Chinese context and determine whether leader-member exchange (LMX) mediates the effects of active constructive leadership (ACL) and passive corrective leadership (PCL) on subordinates’ organizational commitment at the group level. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaires were completed by two employee samples. The first sample consisted of 615 employees from five pharmaceutical companies. The second sample consisted of 676 employees from 144 teams. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The factor analysis results showed two types of leadership in the data: ACL and PCL. The structural equation modeling showed that LMX mediated the effect of leadership on collective organizational commitment. Research limitations/implications The data were cross-sectional in nature. Furthermore, leadership and LMX were both measured from the perspective of followers. Practical implications Managers must realize that leadership is an art that requires not only the self-cultivation of individual behavior, but also appropriate and intelligent conduct when interacting with followers. Team leaders also must pay attention to both their high quality relationships with subordinates and the mutual influence within their groups. Originality/value The current study makes an empirical contribution to the psychometric properties of the MLQ, suggesting a higher two-factor structure appropriate for Chinese employees. It also clarifies the relationships between leadership, LMX and organizational commitment at multiple levels.

Keyword

Active constructive leadership ;  Collective organizational commitment ;  Leader-member exchange ;  Multifactor leadership questionnaire ;  Passive corrective leadership

Abstract

We theorized and tested the mechanisms by which leader–member exchange (LMX) quality is associated with job performance. The results obtained using 212 employee–supervisor pairs from eight Chinese companies indicated that LMX quality had an indirect and positive relationship with taking charge via psychological empowerment and had an indirect and positive relationship with job performance via taking charge. In addition, organizational tenure significantly moderated the relationship between taking charge and job performance, such that the positive effect of taking charge on job performance became weaker as organizational tenure increased. Furthermore, organizational tenure significantly moderated the indirect positive relationship between LMX quality and job performance via taking charge; the indirect effect became weaker as organizational tenure increased. These results suggest that organizations should encourage managers to develop high-quality LMX with their subordinates, which may make them feel more empowered and engage in more taking charge, and result in better job performance. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keyword

ANTECEDENTS ;  CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIORS ;  job performance ;  leader-member exchange ;  MEDIATION ;  METAANALYSIS ;  MODEL ;  organizational tenure ;  OUTCOMES ;  PROACTIVE BEHAVIOR ;  psychological empowerment ;  PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT ;  ROLE PERCEPTIONS ;  taking charge ;  WORK

Abstract

Data obtained from subordinate–supervisor dyads (N = 314) of a large manufacturing company in South Korea were used to test a moderated mediation model of the processes linking person–organization (P–O) fit and employee work attitudes and behaviors. The results revealed that the influence of P–O fit on work attitudes and behaviors was indirect through perceived social exchange with organization. In addition, the relationship between P–O fit and perceived social exchange with organization was moderated by leader–member exchange (LMX) quality. Specifically, a high-quality LMX enhanced the positive effects of P–O fit on perceived social exchange with organization.

Keyword

job performance ;  job satisfaction ;  leader–member exchange ;  organizationally directed citizenship behavior ;  person–organization fit ;  social exchange with organization

Abstract

This study is an integration of the leader-focused perspective and leader-follower exchange perspective, attempting to understand the relationship between leadership styles, leader-member relationship, and their joint impact on followers’ effectiveness, satisfaction, extra effort and organizational commitment. 615 respondents from five big pharmaceutical companies in China participated in this study. Results show that: (1) transformational leadership has positive influence on followers’ effectiveness, satisfaction, extra effort and organizational commitment; contingent reward has positive influence on effectiveness; management-by-exception leadership has negative influence on satisfaction; laissez-faire leadership has negative influence on effectiveness and satisfaction. (2) Leader-member exchange partially mediates the relationship between transformational, contingent reward, management-by-exception, laissez-faire leaderships and followers’ effectiveness, extra effort, satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Keyword

contingent reward leadership ;  leader-member exchange ;  leadership effectiveness ;  management-by-exception leadership ;  transformational leadership