TY - JOUR
T1 - Achieving communication goals in superior-subordinate relationships
T2 - The multi-functionality of upward maintenance tactics
AU - Waldron, Vincent
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - Maintenance of the supervisory relationship is arguably the most important of the communication objectives pursued by subordinates. Maintenance communication creates the context in which other goal-oriented messages are constructed by the subordinate and evaluated by the supervisor. In this study, an inductive procedure was used to identify upward maintenance tactics reportedly used by subordinates. Subsequent factor analysis using a sample of 518 working adults yielded four maintenance tactic types: Personal, Contractual, Regulative, and Direct. Supervisory relationship quality influenced reported tactic use: Subordinates participating in leadership exchanges (Dansereau, Graen, & Haga, 1975) scored higher on the Personal, Contractual, and Directness factors. Subordinates in supervisory exchanges scored higher on the Regulative factor. Results are interpreted as evidence that in high quality supervisory relationships, upward maintenance tactics may be multi-functional, simultaneously preserving relational stability and the capacity for negotiation and change. The results both confirm and extend previous research on leader-member exchange by specifying how subordinate communication contributes to exchange quality.
AB - Maintenance of the supervisory relationship is arguably the most important of the communication objectives pursued by subordinates. Maintenance communication creates the context in which other goal-oriented messages are constructed by the subordinate and evaluated by the supervisor. In this study, an inductive procedure was used to identify upward maintenance tactics reportedly used by subordinates. Subsequent factor analysis using a sample of 518 working adults yielded four maintenance tactic types: Personal, Contractual, Regulative, and Direct. Supervisory relationship quality influenced reported tactic use: Subordinates participating in leadership exchanges (Dansereau, Graen, & Haga, 1975) scored higher on the Personal, Contractual, and Directness factors. Subordinates in supervisory exchanges scored higher on the Regulative factor. Results are interpreted as evidence that in high quality supervisory relationships, upward maintenance tactics may be multi-functional, simultaneously preserving relational stability and the capacity for negotiation and change. The results both confirm and extend previous research on leader-member exchange by specifying how subordinate communication contributes to exchange quality.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84950069870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84950069870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03637759109376231
DO - 10.1080/03637759109376231
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84950069870
SN - 0363-7751
VL - 58
SP - 289
EP - 306
JO - Communication Monographs
JF - Communication Monographs
IS - 3
ER -