To read this content please select one of the options below:

Blaming leaders for team relationship conflict? The roles of leader-member exchange differentiation and ethical leadership

Mingjian Zhou (Department of Management, Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China)
Shuisheng Shi (Department of Management, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong)

Nankai Business Review International

ISSN: 2040-8749

Article publication date: 27 May 2014

2321

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend our understanding of the role of leaders in team relationship conflict. Leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation was hypothesized to be positively related to team relationship conflict. Additionally, ethical leadership was hypothesized to moderate relations between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were examined in a sample of 79 working teams. Data were collected via a questionnaire containing measures of LMX, team relationship conflict and ethical leadership.

Findings

Hypotheses were supported by the data. LMX differentiation was positively related to team relationship conflict, and ethical leadership weakened the relationship between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict.

Originality/value

This is the first theoretical analysis and empirical study of relationships between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict. Theoretically, by using LMX theory to account for team-level outcomes, this study extended power of LMX theory. Practically, these results suggest that leaders may be responsible for team relationship conflict.

Keywords

Citation

Zhou, M. and Shi, S. (2014), "Blaming leaders for team relationship conflict? The roles of leader-member exchange differentiation and ethical leadership", Nankai Business Review International, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 134-146. https://doi.org/10.1108/NBRI-09-2013-0036

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles