Chapter 8: Fairness in Leader– Follower Relationships

Although the notion of preferential treatment (a) underlies the development and differentiation of LMX quality and (b) is inextricably tied to the way in which individuals form fairness judgments, we surprisingly lack a solid understanding of the interplay between leader–member exchanges (LMX) and fairness across multiple levels of analysis. With that in mind, this chapter is a critical and integrative review of the role of fairness in leader–follower relationships. We begin by discussing the theoretical relevance of fairness to individual LMX quality and LMX differentiation at the group-level. We then provide an integrative quantitative summary of the research linking LMX quality with fairness. Finally, we identify several paradoxes and “blind spots” in extant theory and research bridging fairness with leader–member exchange, providing fruitful areas for future research.