Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
J Health Organ Manag. 2020 Oct 27;ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print). doi: 10.1108/JHOM-12-2019-0349.
The purpose of this study is to address the construction of trust in leader member exchange (LMX) relationships as a multidimensional phenomenon and identify the importance of emotional and collective factors contributing to this phenomenon.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Ten health care professionals (five leaders and five members) were interviewed to subject to qualitative thematic analysis.
Four main themes in the data were identified (work roles, collectivity, interaction and participation) and linked to two main elements of LMX trust relations: core and contextual. The results extend understanding of the construction and maintenance of trust in LMX relationships, indicating that it is a more complex and socially constructed phenomenon than previously described.
RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Despite identified limitations of the study (the small amount of empirical material, interpretive research method and purposive sampling of participants), the findings reveal that constructing trust in LMX relationships is more multidimensional than generally portrayed in traditional LMX theory and its three-stage continuum. This study suggests that a broader perspective should be adopted in LMX research, treating it not only as a collective phenomenon but also considering leaders and members as emotional individuals.
Understanding the multidimensional nature of LMX relationships is helpful for developing interpersonal relationships in organizations and leadership practices through recognition of the importance of the transparency, practices and adequacy of mutual interaction. The results presented here may contribute to such understanding and help leaders to relate to members as both subjective individuals and parts of a complex social network. The results may also increase members' awareness of possible ways that they can promote the development of good LMX relationships in organizations.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The novelty of the study relates to the identification of the collective, emotional and multidimensional nature of LMX relationships.
本研究旨在探讨领导-成员交换（LMX）关系中信任的构建是一个多维度的现象，并确定对这一现象有贡献的情感和集体因素的重要性。
设计/方法/途径：对 10 名医疗保健专业人员（5 名领导和 5 名成员）进行了访谈，进行了定性主题分析。
从数据中确定了四个主要主题（工作角色、集体性、互动和参与），并与 LMX 信任关系的两个主要要素联系起来：核心和背景。结果扩展了对 LMX 关系中信任的构建和维护的理解，表明它比以前描述的更复杂，是一个更具社会性的构建现象。
研究局限性/影响：尽管研究存在局限性（实证材料数量少、解释性研究方法和参与者的目的性抽样），但研究结果表明，构建 LMX 关系中的信任比传统 LMX 理论及其三阶段连续体所描述的更为多维。本研究表明，在 LMX 研究中应采取更广泛的视角，不仅将其视为一种集体现象，还应将领导者和成员视为情感个体。
理解 LMX 关系的多维性质有助于通过认识相互作用的透明度、实践和充分性来发展组织中的人际关系和领导实践。这里呈现的结果可能有助于这种理解，并帮助领导者将成员视为主观个体和复杂社会网络的一部分。结果还可以提高成员对他们可以在组织中促进良好 LMX 关系发展的可能方式的认识。
原创性/价值：这项研究的新颖之处在于确定了 LMX 关系的集体性、情感性和多维性。
