Leader-Member Exchange and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: the Mediating Impact of Self-Esteem

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of leader-member exchange (LMX) from the perspectives of superior as well as subordinates on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Self-esteem was also examined as a mediator variable. Data were gathered from a sample of 300 non-supervisory employees and their 118 superiors, that represented banking organizations situated in the Klang Valley of Malaysia. The analysis indicated that superior-LMX had positive impact on OCB, but the impact of subordinate-LMX was not significant. Contrary to what was hypothesized, self-esteem did not influence both superior-LMX and subordinate-LMX relationships with OCB. Key implications of the survey findings both for theory and for practice are discussed, potential limitations are specified, and directions for future research are suggested.