Superior-Subordinate Relationships: Communication Style, Leader-Member Exchange Status, and Communication Satisfaction

Date of Graduation

Spring 1996

Degree

Master of Arts in Communication

Department

Communication

Committee Chair

Carey Adams

Abstract

This study sought to determine if subordinates' and superiors' communication style orientation similarity contributed to subordinates' Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) status and communicatiaon satisfaction. Twenty-three superiors and 93 subordinates completed a survey; subordinates' and superiors' style orientations, and subordinates' LMX status and communication satisfaction were assessed. The importance of perceived and true relational-orientation similarity between subordinates and superiors was prevalent. Relational-orientation similarity contributed to subordinates' LMC status and communication satisfaction. Training may help ensure subordinates share at least partial style similarity with their superiors. Subordinates' communication satisfaction appears to display a curvilinear relationship with tenure, with most urgent intervention apparently needed by subordinates with 6 to 10 years' tenure.

Subject Categories

Communication

Copyright

© Catherine Anne Novacek

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

Share

COinS