Conversation at work: The effects of leader-member conversational quality

Authors

Guowei Jian, Cleveland State UniversityFollow
Francis Dalisay, University of Hawaii, ManoaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-8-2015

Publication Title

Communication Research

Abstract

Although research has made significant gains in understanding the constitutive nature of conversation in the process of organizing, its predictive effects on organizational outcomes are still uncertain. To contribute in this direction, based on social exchange theory and leader-member exchange (LMX) research, this study examined the predictive effects of leader-member conversational quality (LMCQ) on employee organizational commitment (OC), and the potential interaction effects of LMCQ with LMX quality. Using data from an online survey, this study found that above and beyond communication frequency and other control variables, LMCQ is significantly associated with employee OC. More interestingly, the effects of LMCQ vary based on the level of LMX quality. These findings have significant implications at both theoretical and practical levels.

DOI

10.1177/0093650214565924

Version

Postprint

Publisher's Statement

Guowei Jian & Francis Dalisay, Conversation At Work: The Effects of Leader-Member Conversational Quality. Communication Research (Published online before print) pp. 1-21. Copyright © 2015 by the Authors. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications, Inc.

Recommended Citation

Jian, G. & Dalisay, F. (2015). Conversation at work: The effects of leader-member conversational quality. Communication Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0093650214565924