Identifier
etd-1112102-140432
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Management (Business Administration)
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Much LMX research is predicated upon the assumption that the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship is predictive of important organizational and individual outcomes. I propose, however, that leader-member agreement in perception about the nature of the relationship as well as the type of relationship itself is important. I have identified and examined some of the theoretically relevant determinants of leader and member perceptual agreement regarding the nature of their LMX relationship. I hypothesized that relational demography, values, perceived similarity, communication, feedback, and role clarity are related to LMX perceptual agreement. Data was collected through surveys personally administered to employees at four companies in the Southeast. All employees completed the same survey which included measures of LMX, values, perceived similarity, communication, feedback, and role clarity. Supervisors then completed an additional survey that included measures of the supervisors' perceptions of their LMX relationships, their perceived similarity with subordinates, and feedback solicitation with specific subordinates. Supervisor and subordinate responses were matched. Additionally, because of the controversy regarding the use of difference scores as a means to investigate agreement variables, perceptual agreement was not defined as a difference score. My dependent variable, LMX agreement, was examined using multivariate multiple regression analysis by looking at each of its components (LMX and SLMX) and their relationship to each other and to the independent variable(s). The results provide evidence that communication is a key aspect of perceptual agreement. There is support for several of the communication and feedback hypotheses. This dissertation makes several contributions to the leader-member exchange, perceptual agreement, and communication literatures. Direction for future research, study limitations, and implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.
Date
2002
Document Availability at the Time of Submission
Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.
Recommended Citation
Minsky, Barbara Dale, "LMX dyad agreement: construct definition and the role of supervisor/subordinate similarity and communication in understanding LMX" (2002). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 1530.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/1530
Committee Chair
Daniel B. Marin
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.1530