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Leader-member exchange and job performance: The mediating roles of delegation and participation

Jerome Choy (La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia)
Darcy McCormack (St Mary's College, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia)
Nikola Djurkovic (Department of Leadership and Management, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia)

Journal of Management Development

ISSN: 0262-1711

Article publication date: 8 February 2016

2931

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and job performance and the utility of delegation and participation as mediators of the aforementioned relationship.

Methodology

A survey approach was used in this research. Regression analyses, including mediation analyses, on data from 268 employees in a large public sector organisation were conducted.

Findings

The findings revealed that both delegation and participation were significant mediating variables of the relationship between LMX and job performance.

Research limitation

The limitations of the study include the use of self-report and cross-sectional data. Future research could include multi-source data, and a longitudinal research design.

Practical implication

The implications of the findings for theory and management are discussed, including the use of delegation and participation as effective instruments for developing and maintaining strong manager-employee relationships to improve social capital and enhance job performance.

Originality value

This paper enhances understanding of LMX, and sheds some light on how LMX and participative decision making can influence employee job performance.

Keywords

Citation

Choy, J., McCormack, D. and Djurkovic, N. (2016), "Leader-member exchange and job performance: The mediating roles of delegation and participation", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 104-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0086

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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