IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/fobric/v13y2019i1d10.1186_s11782-019-0066-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Authoritarian leadership and task performance: the effects of leader-member exchange and dependence on leader

Author

Listed:
  • Zhen Wang

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Yuan Liu

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Songbo Liu

    (Renmin University of China)

Abstract

This study examines how and when authoritarian leadership affects subordinates’ task performance. Using social exchange theory and power dependence theory, this study proposes that authoritarian leadership negatively influences task performance through leader-member exchange (LMX). This study further proposes that the effect of authoritarian leadership on LMX is stronger when a subordinate has less dependence on a leader. A two-wave survey was conducted in a large electronics and information enterprise group in China. These hypotheses are supported by results based on 219 supervisor-subordinate dyads. The results reveal that authoritarian leadership negatively affects subordinates’ task performance via LMX. Dependence on leader buffers the negative effect of authoritarian leadership on LMX and mitigates the indirect effect of authoritarian leadership on employee task performance through LMX. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhen Wang & Yuan Liu & Songbo Liu, 2019. "Authoritarian leadership and task performance: the effects of leader-member exchange and dependence on leader," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:fobric:v:13:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s11782-019-0066-x
    DOI: 10.1186/s11782-019-0066-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s11782-019-0066-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s11782-019-0066-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peng, Mike W. & Lu, Yuan & Shenkar, Oded & Wang, Denis Y. L., 2001. "Treasures in the China house: a review of management and organizational research on Greater China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 95-110, May.
    2. Guo, Liang & Decoster, Stijn & Babalola, Mayowa T. & De Schutter, Leander & Garba, Omale A. & Riisla, Katrin, 2018. "Authoritarian leadership and employee creativity: The moderating role of psychological capital and the mediating role of fear and defensive silence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 219-230.
    3. Weipeng Lin & Jingjing Ma & Qi Zhang & Jenny Chen Li & Feng Jiang, 2018. "How is Benevolent Leadership Linked to Employee Creativity? The Mediating Role of Leader–Member Exchange and the Moderating Role of Power Distance Orientation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(4), pages 1099-1115, November.
    4. Jiing-Lih Farh & Bor-Shiuan Cheng, 2000. "A Cultural Analysis of Paternalistic Leadership in Chinese Organizations," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: J. T. Li & Anne S. Tsui & Elizabeth Weldon (ed.), Management and Organizations in the Chinese Context, chapter 4, pages 84-127, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. Simon Chan & Wai-ming Mak, 2012. "Benevolent leadership and follower performance: The mediating role of leader–member exchange (LMX)," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 285-301, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. repec:thr:techub:10016:y:2021:i:1:p:401-419 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Khalid Hasan Al Jasimee & Francisco Javier Blanco-Encomienda, 2023. "A SEM-NCA approach towards the impact of participative budgeting on budgetary slack and managerial performance: The mediating role of leadership style and leader-member exchange," Papers 2310.09993, arXiv.org.
    3. Stella & Sperial, 2022. "Effect Of Head Teachers’ Leadership Styles On Commitment Of Teachers Among Secondary Schools In Uganda," Working papers 2022-42-01, Voice of Research.
    4. Damianus Abun & Maynard O. Lucas & Theogenia Magallanes & Mary Joy Encarnation, 2021. "Empowering Leadership of the Heads as Perceived by the Employees and Employees' Job satisfaction," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 17(1), pages 398-423, March.
    5. Bin Du & Bin He & Luxiaohe Zhang & Nan Luo & Xuan Yu & Ai Wang, 2022. "From Subordinate Moqi to Work Engagement: The Role of Leader–Member Exchange in the Sustainability Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Kyomuhangi Speria & Kanyesigye Stella T & Ruteraho Agatha H, 2023. "Relationship Between Leadership Styles And Teacher Commitment Among Secondary Schools In Uganda," Working papers 2023-46-01, Voice of Research.
    7. Damianus Abun & Nimfa C. Catbagan & Theogenia Magallanes & Robert Rodrigo & Egdona A. Quinto, 2021. "Leadership Attitude of office Heads toward Employees and Leadership Styles," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 16(1), pages 401-419, February.
    8. Brian L. Ott & Carrisa S. Hoelscher, 2023. "The Digital Authoritarian: On the Evolution and Spread of Toxic Leadership," World, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-19, November.
    9. repec:thr:techub:10017:y:2021:i:1:p:398-423 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ahsen Maqsoom & Ifra Zahoor & Hassan Ashraf & Fahim Ullah & Badr T. Alsulami & Alaa Salman & Muwaffaq Alqurashi, 2022. "Nexus between Leader–Member Exchange, Paternalistic Leadership, and Creative Behavior in the Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Nurun Nabi & Zhiqiang Liu, 2021. "Benevolent paternalistic leadership behavior and follower's radical creativity: The mediating role of follower's voice behavior and moderating role of follower's power distance orientation," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(3), pages 156-176, April.
    3. Shen, Yimo & Chou, Wan-Ju & Schaubroeck, John M. & Liu, Jun, 2023. "Benevolent leadership, harmonious passion, and employee work behaviors: A multi-level moderated mediation model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Hazem Ahmed Khairy & Sijun Liu & Samar Sheikhelsouk & Ahmed M. EI-Sherbeeny & Omar Alsetoohy & Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy, 2023. "The Effect of Benevolent Leadership on Job Engagement through Psychological Safety and Workplace Friendship Prevalence in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-22, September.
    5. Weipeng Lin & Jingjing Ma & Qi Zhang & Jenny Chen Li & Feng Jiang, 2018. "How is Benevolent Leadership Linked to Employee Creativity? The Mediating Role of Leader–Member Exchange and the Moderating Role of Power Distance Orientation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(4), pages 1099-1115, November.
    6. Anand, Amitabh & Dalmasso, Audrey & Vessal, Saeedeh Rezaee & Parameswar, Nakul & Rajasekar, James & Dhal, Manoranjan, 2023. "The effect of job security, insecurity, and burnout on employee organizational commitment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    7. Ying Chen & Xiaohu Zhou & Kim Klyver, 2019. "Collective Efficacy: Linking Paternalistic Leadership to Organizational Commitment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 587-603, October.
    8. An-Chih Wang & Jack Ting-Ju Chiang & Wan-Ju Chou & Bor-Shiuan Cheng, 2017. "One definition, different manifestations: Investigating ethical leadership in the Chinese context," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 505-535, September.
    9. Farrukh Shahzad & Muhammad Farrukh Shahzad & Azer Dilanchiev & Muhammad Irfan, 2022. "Modeling the Influence of Paternalistic Leadership and Personality Characteristics on Alienation and Organizational Culture in the Aviation Industry of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Cohesiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    10. Olson, Bradley J. & Bao, Yongjian & Parayitam, Satyanarayana, 2007. "Strategic decision making within Chinese firms: The effects of cognitive diversity and trust on decision outcomes," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 35-46, March.
    11. Chih-Ting Shih & Cheng-Chen Lin, 2014. "From good friends to good soldiers: A psychological contract perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 309-326, March.
    12. Ka Chan & Xu Huang & Peng Ng, 2008. "Managers’ conflict management styles and employee attitudinal outcomes: The mediating role of trust," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 277-295, June.
    13. Yuan Jing Luo & Yan Ping Li & Jing Du, 2020. "Coping with Supervisor Sanctions During Organizational Change: Core Members’ Active Change Behavior and Followers’ Middle Way Thinking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-12, August.
    14. Mohamed M. Mostafa, 2023. "A one-hundred-year structural topic modeling analysis of the knowledge structure of international management research," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 3905-3935, August.
    15. Wei, Jiuchang & Ouyang, Zhe & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2018. "CEO characteristics and corporate philanthropic giving in an emerging market: The case of China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-11.
    16. Alain Verbeke & Liena Kano, 2013. "The transaction cost economics (TCE) theory of trading favors," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 409-431, June.
    17. Long Lam & Xu Huang & Dora Lau, 2012. "Leadership research in Asia: Taking the road less traveled?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 195-204, June.
    18. David Ackerman & Jing Hu & Liyuan Wei, 2009. "Confucius, Cars, and Big Government: Impact of Government Involvement in Business on Consumer Perceptions Under Confucianism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 473-482, October.
    19. Chandler Nick, 2019. "Standing alone? A review of the characteristics of the entrepreneur through the actor-activity-attitude framework," Prosperitas, Budapest Business University, vol. 6(1), pages 12-34.
    20. Hongjuan Zhang & Liang Wang & Rong Han, 2019. "The China-West divide on social capital: A meta-analysis," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 745-772, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:fobric:v:13:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s11782-019-0066-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.