Leader-member exchange differentiation in the military platoon

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify demographic variables that may impact the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships within a military platoon. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 109 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and 421 recruits from 27 platoons in the Singapore Armed Forces independently assessed the quality of their relationship with their platoon commander using the LMX7 survey instrument. Findings - Bivariate analyses indicated rank and type of service differentiated the quality of LMX between leaders (platoon commanders) and followers (NCOs, recruits). Research limitations/implications - The paper considers LMX only from the perspective of followers and does not take into account the broader context of the military platoon. Practical implications - The performance of the entire platoon may be more effective when platoon commanders operate at a distance, respect rank and formal authority relationships, and build closer personal relationships with NCOs than with recruits. Originality/value - There have been no studies examining the demographic basis for LMX differentiation in an Asian military organization. This paper fills the gap.