Pii: S0278-4319(97)00013-3

This siudy reviews the literature surrounding leader-member exchange (LMX), proposes and tests antecedents of LMX. The intent is to clarify antecedents of LMX. The study uses a hospitality sample, as LMX is related to a wide range of constructs highly relevant for hospitality management. Following confirmatory factor analysis, the antecedents are tested using regression analysis, followed by path analysis. L M X is posited to develop through interaction between leader and member. Power is shown to be reflected in the LMX, and social power is tested as antecedent to LMX. The results are consistent with a causal model that has superior-subordinate intradyadic communication, the superior's coercive power and the superior's reward power as antecedents to LMX, which then has referent power as consequent. Expert power is found, to be an additional antecedent to referent power, not LMX. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd