Abstract

Although, the increasing research interest on the topic of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) among organizational researchers, there is a paucity of research on the perceptive aspects of LMX. The authors collected data from 258 supervisor-subordinate dyads in People’s Republic of China and employed an inductive approach to explore the perception of LMX from both superior and subordinate perspectives. We found that LMX not only includes positive and ethical features but also involves negative and unethical practices in the Chinese workplace. On the positive side, LMX comprises positive reciprocal exchange, whereas its darker aspects include perceived unfairness and perceived LMX differentiation.

Key words: China, leader - member exchange, LMX perception, supervisor-subordinate relationship.