Transformational Leadership, Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), and OCB: The Role of Motives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of employee motives regarding select leadership-OCB relationships. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that the relationships observed between transformational leadership and various dimensions of OCB would be mediated by subordinate Organizational Concern. In contrast, the relationship between LMX-quality and subordinate Altruism was predicted to be either mediated or moderated by subordinate Prosocial Values. Two hundred and one part-time and full-time employees (subordinates and supervisors) served as participants in this study, representing a total of 13 organizations in the Southeast United States. Results were based on a final sample of 131 supervisor-subordinate pairs. In general, participants responded to questionnaires that measured transformational leadership, LMX-quality, and OCB Motives (i.e., Prosocial Values, Organizational Concern, and Impression Management). Both subordinate and supervisor ratings of OCB were also collected. Analyses were based upon Baron and Kenny’s (1986) approach for mediation and moderation, as well as the Aroian version (1944/1947) of the Sobel test (1982). Across self- and supervisor-reports of OCB, results revealed that the Organizational Concern Motive significantly mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and various dimensions of OCB (Conscientiousness, Sportsmanship, Courtesy, and Civic Virtue). Results also supported the Prosocial Values Motive as a partial mediator in the relationship between LMX-quality and self-reported Altruism. Surprisingly, a stronger mediating effect was consistently observed for the Organizational Concern Motive across both leadership styles and all five of Organ’s (1988) OCB dimensions. In contrast, no evidence was found for either motive with regard to moderation. Results also differed based on leadership perspective (subordinate versus supervisor). Taken as a whole, these results suggest that both transformational leadership and LMX-quality are strongly associated with an employee’s general concern for the organization. This motive is, in turn, associated with a variety of citizenship behaviors. In summary, this evidence addresses an important gap in the OCB literature by providing evidence for an indirect relationship between leadership perceptions and OCB