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How careerists use LMX as a strategy to achieve power and career success? A moderated mediation model

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Abstract

Relying on the theory of planned behavior, we aim to investigate how careerist individuals achieve subjective career success and personal power by maintaining high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) quality. We further propose that the self-enhancement motive (SEM) strengthens the relationship between careerism and LMX quality. The theory of planned behavior supports the proposed model as according to the theory; employees adopt certain tactics and strategies to acquire the required outcomes. We further suggest employees with high self-enhancement motives will build more effective relationships with the leader and hence be able to achieve their individual career goals. The data was collected in a time-lagged design (three-wave) from 304 employees of service sector organizations. Code matching technique has been used for ensuring alignment and accuracy of three times data. The results indicate that careerism directly affects leader-member exchange, perceived career success, and personal sense of power. Also, results reveal that leader-member exchange mediates the relationship between careerism and outcomes, and conditional direct and indirect effects were stronger at the high level of self-enhancement motives. Limitations and future research directions along with theoretical and practical implications have been discussed at the end.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Tasneem Fatima

  2. University of Loralai, Baluchistan, Pakistan

    Ifrah Jameel

  3. Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Rabia Mushtaq

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  1. Tasneem Fatima
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  2. Ifrah Jameel
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  3. Rabia Mushtaq
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Correspondence to Tasneem Fatima.

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Fatima, T., Jameel, I. & Mushtaq, R. How careerists use LMX as a strategy to achieve power and career success? A moderated mediation model. Eurasian Bus Rev 13, 957–976 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40821-022-00216-1

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