The Dispositional Antecedents of Leader-Member Exchange and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: A Process Perspective

Abstract

<p>While dispositional antecedents to organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) have been established, scant attention has been given to the interpersonal and attitudinal processes that may mediate the effects of personality on OCB. Similarly, we know little with respect to the influence of supervisor and subordinate personality on leader-member-change quality (LMX). In this study, a path analytic model was developed and tested in which the effects of leader and follower personality attributes on LMX quality were hypothesized to be mediated through cognitive (role ambiguity), perceptual (perceived similarity), and affective (subordinate affect toward supervisor) variables. The model also positions LMX as mediating the effects of these cognitive, perceptual, and affective variables on job satisfaction and OCB. Structural Equation Modeling supported the hypothesized model. Results were consistent with both affective and role definition process explanations for LMX development. There was particularly strong support for the role of follower affect in mediating the influence of LMX on OCB. The theoretical and applied significance of these findings are discussed.</p>