Leader-Member Exchange: a Test of the Measurement Model

Abstract

Most organizational systems today are hierarchically arranged, and our understanding of formal leadership holds great significance in both theory and application.One of the crucial elements that influences role-taking in an organizational settingis the interpersonal exchange relationship that develops between a superior and arole incumbent. This interactional, interpersonal element is the crux of Leader-Member Exchange-a scale which serves as a measure of the social exchangerelationship that can develop between two organizational interactants. The researchreported in this article is a confirmatory factor analysis of the Leader-MemberExchange (LMX) scale, and a test of a nomothetic network for the LMX factors. Thescale was found to have two factors that were highly correlated. All correlations ofthe two LMX factors with factors in the nomothetic net have overlapping confidenceintervals. The findings support the construct validity of the Leader-Member Exchange scale. This research provides added evidence that increased understandingof Leader-Member Exchange, coupled with an increased attention to the dynamicsof the superior-subordinate relationship, can lead to improved organizational operation.