Leader-member exchange as moderator of ethical leadership and employees’ job performance nexus in Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated leader-member exchange as moderator of ethical leadership and employees’ job performance. Specifically, it examined whether leader-member exchange significantly moderates the relationship between ethical leadership and employees’ task, contextual and adaptive performance. The cross-sectional survey research design was utilized for the investigation. The study population comprised 1,842 lower level employees drawn from 18 aluminium manufacturers registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria chapters of four states in the South-South region. The large population warranted the use of Taro Yamane framework to arrive at the sample size of 329 employees. Questionnaire was used to elicit data for the study. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. A robust analytical framework of structural equation modeling using the partial least square method was used to test the moderating effect of leader-member exchange on the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings indicated that leader-member exchange does not significantly moderate the relationship between ethical leadership (ethical guidance, power sharing, moral perspective and trustworthiness) and employees’ job performance (task, contextual, and adaptive).

Keywords: Contextual performance, ethical guidance, moral perspective, adaptive performance, power sharing