Power use and differential competence as determinants of subordinates' evaluative and behavioural responses in simulated organizations
✍ Scribed by Jan Bruins; Naomi Ellemers; Dick de Gilder
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 248 KB
- Volume
- 29
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0046-2772
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Insights from leader±member exchange theory and social justice theory were combined to derive predictions about the eects of relative competence and power use by a more powerful other on evaluative and behavioural responses of subordinates. These predictions were tested in two experiments, using a simulated organizational structure. The main results of the ®rst experiment (N 73) indicate that frequency of power use is an important determinant of subordinates' evaluations of the status quo, supporting predictions from leader±member exchange theory. However, in line with a procedural justice explanation, perceived legitimacy of the superior's behaviour and participants' cooperative intentions were determined jointly by power use and relative competence. A second experiment (N 152) more closely investigated behavioural responses. The ®ndings obtained in Experiment 1 were replicated, and as predicted, interaction eects of the superior's power use and competence were found for subordinates' collaborative behaviour and employee turnover. Both these eects were mediated by participants' sense of commitment to their superior. Theoretical and practical implications of the ®ndings are discussed.