“Not Enough To Matter” or “Too Much of Good Thing”? A Re-Examination of the Relationship Between LMX and Job Performance

Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Sage.

Google Scholar 

Anand, S., Hu, J., Liden, R. C., & Vidyarthi, P. R. (2011). Leader-member exchange: Recent research findings and prospects for the future. The Sage handbook of leadership, 311–325.

Antonakis, J., House, R. J., & Simonton, D. K. (2017). Can super smart leaders suffer from too much of a good thing? The curvilinear effect of intelligence on perceived leadership behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(7), 1003–1021.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Blair, K. S., Smith, B. W., Mitchell, D. G., Morton, J., Vythilingam, M., Pessoa, L., Mitchell, D. G. V., Fridberg, D., Zametkin, A., Nelson, E. E., Pine, D. S., Martin, A., Blair, R. J. R., & Drevets, W. C. (2007). Modulation of emotion by cognition and cognition by emotion. NeuroImage, 35(1), 430–440.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Blalock, H. M., Jr., & Costner, H. L. (1969). Multiple indicators and the causal approach to measurement error. American Journal of Sociology, 75(2), 264–273.

Article  Google Scholar 

Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. Willey.

Google Scholar 

Breevaart, K., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & van den Heuvel, M. (2015). Leader-member exchange, work engagement, and job performance. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 30(7), 754–770.

Article  Google Scholar 

Brodbeck, F. C., Frese, M., Akerblom, S., Audia, G., Bakacsi, G., Bendova, H., Bodega, D., Bodur, M., Booth, S., Castel, P., Den Hartog, D., Donnelly‐Cox, G., Gratchev, M. V., Holmberg, I., Jarmuz, S., Jesuino, J. C., Jorbenadse, R., Kabasakal, H. E., Keating, M., … Brenk, K. (2000). Cultural variation of leadership prototypes across 22 European countries. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 73(1), 1–29.

Article  Google Scholar 

Busse, C., Mahlendorf, M. D., & Bode, C. (2016). The ABC for studying the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect: A competitive mediation framework linking antecedents, benefits, and costs. Organizational Research Methods, 19(1), 131–153.

Article  Google Scholar 

Cropanzano, R., Dasborough, M. T., & Weiss, H. M. (2017). Affective events and the development of leader-member exchange. Academy of Management Review, 42(2), 233–258.

Article  Google Scholar 

Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874–900.

Article  Google Scholar 

Dansereau, F., Jr., Graen, G., & Haga, W. J. (1975). A vertical dyad linkage approach to leadership within formal organizations: A longitudinal investigation of the role making process. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 13(1), 46–78.

Article  Google Scholar 

Davis, M. S. (1971). That’s interesting! Towards a phenomenology of sociology and a sociology of phenomenology. Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 1(2), 309–344.

Article  Google Scholar 

De Massis, A., Chirico, F., Kotlar, J., & Naldi, L. (2014). The temporal evolution of proactiveness in family firms: The horizontal S-curve hypothesis. Family Business Review, 27(1), 35–50.

Article  Google Scholar 

Doty, D. H., & Glick, W. H. (1994). Typologies as a unique form of theory building: Toward improved understanding and modeling. Academy of Management Review, 19(2), 230–251.

Article  Google Scholar 

Dulebohn, J. H., Bommer, W. H., Liden, R. C., Brouer, R. L., & Ferris, G. R. (2012). A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of leader-member exchange: Integrating the past with an eye toward the future. Journal of Management, 38(6), 1715–1759.

Article  Google Scholar 

Edwards, J. R. (1992). A cybernetic theory of stress, coping, and well-being in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 17(2), 238–274.

Article  Google Scholar 

Emerson, R. M. (1976). Social exchange theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 2(1), 335–362.

Article  Google Scholar 

Erdogan, B., & Enders, J. (2007). Support from the top: Supervisors’ perceived organizational support as a moderator of leader-member exchange to satisfaction and performance relationships. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 321–330.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Frank, R. H. (1988). Passions within reason: The strategic role of the emotions. New York: Norton

Google Scholar 

Gao, Y., Yang, H., & Hafsi, T. (2019). Corporate giving and corporate financial performance: The S-curve relationship. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 36(3), 687–713.

Article  Google Scholar 

Gong, Y., Huang, J.-C., & Farh, J.-L. (2009). Employee learning orientation, transformational leadership, and employee creativity: The mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy. Academy of Management Journal, 52(4), 765–778.

Article  Google Scholar 

Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2), 161–178.

Article  Google Scholar 

Graen, G. B., & Scandura, T. A. (1987). Toward a psychology of dyadic organizing. In L. L. Cummings & B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 9, pp. 175–208). JAI Press.

Google Scholar 

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. Leadership Quarterly, 6(2), 219–247.

Article  Google Scholar 

Grant, A. M., & Schwartz, B. (2011). Too much of a good thing: The challenge and opportunity of the inverted U. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(1), 61–76.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Harris, K. J., & Kacmar, K. M. (2006). Too much of a good thing: The curvilinear effect of leader-member exchange on stress. The Journal of Social Psychology, 146(1), 65–84.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Harris, K. J., Kacmar, K. M., & Witt, L. (2005). An examination of the curvilinear relationship between leader–member exchange and intent to turnover. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 363–378.

Article  Google Scholar 

Heise, D. R. (1987). Affect control theory: Concepts and model. Journal of Mathematical Sociology, 13(1–2), 1–33.

Article  Google Scholar 

Heller, F. (2003). Participation and power: A critical assessment. Applied Psychology, 52(1), 144–163.

Article  Google Scholar 

Hwang, K. K. (1987). Face and favor: The Chinese power game. American Journal of Sociology, 92(4), 944–974.

Article  Google Scholar 

Ji, H., Zhao, X., & Dang, J. (2023). Relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX) and flow at work among medical workers during the COVID-19: The mediating role of job crafting. BMC Psychology, 11, 162.

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Jian, G. (2014). Revisiting the association of LMX quality with perceived role stressors: Evidence for inverted U relationships among immigrant employees. Communication Research, 41(1), 52–73.

Article  Google Scholar 

Kim, B. P., Lee, G., & Carlson, K. D. (2010). An examination of the nature of the relationship between Leader-Member-Exchange (LMX) and turnover intent at different organizational levels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(4), 591–597.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lam, C. K., Huang, X., & Chan, S. C. (2015). The threshold effect of participative leadership and the role of leader information sharing. Academy of Management Journal, 58(3), 836–855.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lam, C. F., Spreitzer, G., & Fritz, C. (2014). Too much of a good thing: Curvilinear effect of positive affect on proactive behaviors. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(4), 530–546.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lawler, E. J. (2001). An affect theory of social exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 107(2), 321–352.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lawler, E. J., & Thye, S. R. (1999). Bringing emotions into social exchange theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 25(1), 217–244.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lee, S., Cheong, M., Kim, M., & Yun, S. (2017). Never too much? The curvilinear relationship between empowering leadership and task performance. Group & Organization Management, 42(1), 11–38.

Article  Google Scholar 

Li, G., Rubenstein, A. L., Lin, W., Wang, M., & Chen, X. (2018). The curvilinear effect of benevolent leadership on team performance: The mediating role of team action processes and the moderating role of team commitment. Personnel Psychology, 71(3), 369–397.

Article  Google Scholar 

Liden, R. C., & Graen, G. (1980). Generalizability of the vertical dyad linkage model of leadership. Academy of Management Journal, 23(3), 451–465.

Article  Google Scholar 

Loi, R., & Ngo, H.-Y. (2009). Work outcomes of relational demography in Chinese vertical dyads. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(8), 1704–1719.

Article  Google Scholar 

Lu, J. W., & Beamish, P. W. (2004). International diversification and firm performance: The s-curve hypothesis. Academy of Management Journal, 47(4), 598–609.

Article  Google Scholar 

Martin, R., Epitropaki, O., Thomas, G., & Topakas, A. (2010). A review of leader-member exchange research: Future prospects and directions. In G. P. Hodgkinson & J. K. Ford (Eds.), International review of industrial and organizational psychology: Vol. 25. International review of industrial and organizational psychology 2010 (p. 35–88). Wiley-Blackwell.

Martin, R., Guillaume, Y., Thomas, G., Lee, A., & Epitropaki, O. (2016). Leader–member exchange (LMX) and performance: A meta-analytic review. Personnel Psychology, 69(1), 67–121.

Article  Google Scholar 

Martin, R., Thomas, G., Legood, A., & Dello Russo, S. (2018). Leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation and work outcomes: Conceptual clarification and critical review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(2), 151–168.

Article 

Comments (0)

No login
gif