Leader Member Exchange

LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE AND WORK OUTCOMES: A MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE

BYRON M. BADER Bachelor of Arts, University of Lethbridge, 2007

A Research Project Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Lethbridge in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT Faculty of Management University of Lethbridge LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, CANADA

© Byron Bader, 2008

LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE AND EMPLOYEE OUTCOMES: A MULTIPLE LEADESHIP PERSPECTIVE

BYRON M. BADER

Approved:

___________________________________________ Supervisor: Mahfooz Ansari, PhD

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___________________________________________ Co-supervisor: Janelle Enns-Gordon, PhD

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___________________________________________ External Examiner: Nina Cole, PhD Ryerson University, Toronto, ON

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___________________________________________ Chairperson: Helen Kelley, PhD

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Abstract This study focused on multiple leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships between employees and two different supervisors. Furthermore, the study focused on the relationship that the leaders themselves had with each other (the leader-leader exchange (LLX)). Last, the study focused on the moderating effect that leadership structure (hierarchical or distributed) has on the relationship between LMX and employee outcomes. The study consisted of 111 employee and supervisor dyads from various business sectors. Analysis showed that LMX significantly correlated with affective organizational commitment, job performance, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). LMX with a second supervisor did not significantly moderate the relationship between LMX and employee outcomes, but did prove to be an additional predictor with regards to OCB. LLX moderated the relationship between LMX and OCB, but had little effect on affective organizational...