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In management research, little is known about how ethno-racial minority leaders interact with similar employees in supervisor–subordinate relationships. This study aims to examine and provide a deeper understanding of individuals’ negative reactions to similar others, thus highlighting the double-edged nature of demographic similarity which has historically predicted positive affective reactions.

Using a survey design, the authors collected data from supervisor-subordinate dyads from multiple companies from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, USA. They used ordinary least squares regression and conditional process analysis to test the hypotheses, including a two-stage moderation and moderated mediation.

Incorporating social context, i.e. minority status, as a moderator, the results show that ethno-racial minority leaders supervising ethno-racially similar subordinates were more vulnerable to relationship conflict than non-minority dyads. This, in turn, is linked to a reduction in the leaders’ feelings of trust toward their ethno-racially similar subordinate.

This study draws on social identity theory and status characteristics theory to explain the contradictory processes and outcomes associated with dyadic ethno-racial similarity and suggests the conditions under which dyad racial similarity is connected with unfavorable outcomes. This framework helps to broaden the boundary conditions of relational demography to provide a more nuanced explanation of when and why minority leaders in demographically similar hierarchical dyads experience more relationship conflict, which ultimately diminishes trust.

The current study seeks to provide predictions for task conflict in supervisor‐subordinate dyads and to test empirically the mediation effects of task conflict between organizational culture/subordinate values and subordinate outcomes.

Structural equation modeling was employed to test the theoretical model.

It was found that task conflict mediates the relationship between a clan culture and intention to quit. Additionally, support was also found for the mediating effect of task conflict on the relationship between individualistic values and intention to quit.

More research is needed to take into consideration the variables influencing task conflict in both vertical and horizontal dyadic relationships. A dynamic view of conflict may further contribute to the existing literature.

More remedies are needed in organizations to foster positive employees' attitudes and wellbeing through the generation of task conflicts. For example, fostering a clan culture instead of a hierarchy may be vital.

The current study demonstrates that organizational culture/subordinate's values may be linked to different subordinate outcomes through task conflict.

This paper aims to offer insights regarding antecedents and consequences of relationship conflict in supervisor‐subordinate dyads, regardless of the demographic characteristics of the dyads. The authors explain the causes and outcomes of relationship conflict utilizing an affective approach, and suggest that factors such as moods, values, and situational context play an important role in influencing relationship conflict and its outcomes – intention to quit and trust in supervisor.

The authors surveyed 200 employees of multiple companies in the greater Atlanta, Georgia area. They utilized hierarchical regression, (with the inclusion of two‐ and three‐way interaction terms) to test their hypotheses and interaction effects.

Negative mood and positive mood interacted to impact the level of relationship conflict experienced by subordinates. Subordinates' collectivism values strengthened the impact of the positive mood‐negative mood interaction on relationship conflict. Mentoring and supervisor‐subordinate dyad tenure moderated the relationship conflict to outcomes associations.

The study goes beyond traditional relational demography research in order to offer new insights and perspectives on the causes and outcomes of relationship conflict at different hierarchical levels from an affective approach, specifically, moods theory. Since relationship conflict is an inevitable process, an understanding of antecedents and consequences of the conflict can allow managers to be better equipped to create a healthy work environment.

In this research, the authors examine the relationships between findings from several potentially‐related literature streams including a prescriptive body of communication theory involving supervisor‐subordinate communication, contingency ideas involving use of coaching/directive vs counselling/participative leader communication styles, and leader‐member exchange (LMX) theory from the management literature. LMX suggests that supervisors may afford differing treatment, and thus possibly use different communications tactics, with subordinates in higherquality exchange relationships than with those in lower‐quality relationships. This literature, however, leaves unresolved whether supervisors should treat employees differently. In contrast, much of the communication literature has emphasised development of “best” practices which, presumably, should be used with all employees. In this research the authors consider whether there are consistencies between leader communication practices and the perceived quality of the leader‐member exchange. They report evidence that employees perceive differences, especially in the level of participation‐related communication, depending upon whether they believe they are in a higher‐ or lower‐quality LMX relationship. Moreover, they find weak evidence for congruence between supervisor and subordinate perceptions of the quality of the exchange and no significant evidence that similarity of the dyad influences the quality of the exchange.

The purpose of this paper is to study the applicability of a crossover model of work–family conflict (WFC) in the work setting among supervisor–subordinate dyads. It examines the positive association between supervisor’s WFC and subordinate’s WFC and analyses the moderating effect of subordinate’s susceptibility to emotional contagion (SEC).

Data were gathered using a questionnaire survey method and tested in 193 matched supervisor–subordinate dyads from select organisations representing the services sector in India.

The authors found a significant direct crossover path from the supervisor to his/her subordinate’s WFC. The effect of supervisor reported WFC on subordinate reported WFC was found to be strong when the subordinate displayed higher SEC with his/her supervisor.

Examining the crossover of WFC contributes to theory by broadening crossover research to include transmission of negative experiences in the work context. This study significantly adds to emotional contagion theory by substantiating the existence of WFC contagion in supervisor–subordinate dyads. Given the constraints of cross-sectional research design, future research should replicate these findings using a larger sample in other cultural contexts as well to generalise the results. Future research should consider using longitudinal data and including information from both the supervisor and the subordinates collected at different points in time. Crossover of positive work–family experiences (e.g. work–family enrichment) and the role of other individual difference variables such as the personality of the subordinates, empathy, etc., could also be considered.

Supervisors should be advised of the potential adverse effects of their WFC and organisations should be made cognizance of the impact that the WFC of employees can have on their job outcomes. Organisations should provide the required formal and informal support to their employees to deal with their WFC efficiently.

This study has attempted to examine the crossover of WFC in supervisor–subordinate dyads and the potential effect of one of the individual difference variables namely SEC. To the best of the authors knowledge, it has rarely been examined earlier.

The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the mechanism which can explain and predict subordinates’ deferential behaviour in China.

Data were collected using mail surveys. The study used two sources of data (supervisor and subordinate) obtained via two separate sets of surveys. In total, 600 questionnaires were distributed to subordinate–supervisor dyads employed in a variety of organizations, and 441 dyad-level questionnaires were collected.

The paper revealed that supervisors’ political mentoring (PM) moderated the strength of the mediated relationships between a supervisor’s trust in the subordinate and the subordinate’s deference to supervisor via supervisor–subordinate guanxi. Furthermore, the direct interaction effect of a supervisor’s trust and PM influenced the subordinate’s deference to supervisor only when the level of PM was low.

This study clarifies the mechanism by which supervisor’s specific behaviours affect subordinate’s deference to supervisor, and explores how supervisor–subordinate dyad creates a reciprocal relationship. The research indicates the unique effect of supervisor’s PM in Chinese organizations, and reinforces the importance of considering supervisor’s trust in the subordinate.

This study investigated the crossover of work–family conflict (WFC) from supervisors to subordinates employed in conventional work settings. The authors hypothesized that the supervisor’s WFC would impact the subordinate’s level of WFC, and the level of crossover would vary with relationship quality or LMX.

The authors surveyed a matched set of 150 supervisors and 193 subordinates from several services organizations who were recruited using a snowballing technique. Data were analysed using hierarchical regression analyses and moderation testing.

Results confirmed a significant direct crossover path. Further, the crossover was found to be lowered in the event of higher LMX quality.

The findings provide significant insights into the conditions under which transmission of WFC takes place by broadening crossover research in the work–family area. Future studies must explore the crossover of work–family enrichment and the role of leadership styles, empathy and perspective taking of subordinates in the crossover.

Supervisors must endeavour to reduce the level of WFC of subordinates by trying to build high-quality LMX by regularly interacting with them and by providing them a supportive climate. Employees in turn must support supervisors in various means, which will help them gaining manager’s trust and support.

Examination of the potential mitigating effect of high-quality LMX in the crossover of WFC in supervisor–subordinate dyads has rarely been investigated in the past.

The purpose of the study is to investigate how the conditions of trust differ between supervisors and subordinates. By understanding these differences, it may be possible to improve the quality of a leader‐member exchange (LMX).

This is a quantitative study using supervisor and subordinate dyads from Portugal.

Supervisors reported that receptivity, availability, and discreteness were perceived to be more important in building a quality vertical dyad linkage as represented by LMX. Subordinates reported that availability, competence, discreteness, integrity, and openness were more important for building a quality vertical dyad linkage as represented by LMX.

Status differences between supervisors and subordinates appear to influence conditions of trust. Supervisors are more concerned about conditions of trust that deal with supervisory delegation. Subordinates are more concerned about the conditions of trust based on interactional justice.

This research implies that trust is different between supervisors and subordinates. The research is important in building supervisor and subordinate relationships as both need to act in manners that engenders trust from the other side. The difference in conditions of trust may create conflicting expectations about how to effectively build trust.

In this empirical study, the authors compared the workings of LMX between two countries: India and the United States. Data from 162 supervisor‐subordinate dyads in India and 102 dyads in the US was analysed to examine the impact of subordinate LMX ratings on their evaluation of supervisor performance. Results revealed significant differences in the workings of LMX in the two countries, especially as viewed from the subordinate’s point of view.

This paper aims to examine the quality of the relationship between a supervisor and their subordinate, conceptualised as leader member exchange (LMX), and the mediating influence of subordinate’s job embeddedness on job satisfaction. The LMX model considered the four-gender dominant leadership style facets, female – affect and loyalty (communal), and male – contribution and professional respect (agentic). Social role theory was applied to explain societies influence on leadership style. The moderating influence of supervisor gender on the relationship of LMX facets and subordinate embeddedness is investigated.

This cross-sectional survey study of 213 self-selected employed participants investigated the mediation of job embeddedness LMX and job embeddedness and the moderation impact of supervisor gender on this mediation.

Job embeddedness mediated the relationship between all four facets of LMX and job satisfaction. Supervisor gender did not moderate the relationships of the four LMX facets and job embeddedness. These findings highlight the potential impact of a homogeniuos sample in relation to industry type and culture as this may impact on the findings. That is, participants in this study were predominantly females working in female dominant industries.

This study builds on the work of Collins et al. (2014) who examined the moderating impact of subordinate gender on the mediating relationship of job embeddedness on the relationship between LMX facets and job satisfaction. Previously, the gender role of supervisors on this relationship was not explored.