Comparing the impact of leader-member exchange, psychological empowerment and affective commitment upon Australian public and private sector nurses: implications for retention

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Author(s)
Brunetto, Yvonne
Shacklock, Kate
Bartram, Timothy
Leggat, Sandra G
Farr-Wharton, Rod
Stanton, Pauline
Casimir, Gian
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2012
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study uses Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory to test the associations between the supervisor-subordinate relationship, psychological empowerment and affective commitment amongst 1283 nurses working in Australian public and private hospitals. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, analysed and presented. The findings show that the quality of LMX is more important in public sector nursing contexts than in the private sector with regard to the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment. Furthermore, the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment is stronger for nurses in ...
View more >This study uses Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory to test the associations between the supervisor-subordinate relationship, psychological empowerment and affective commitment amongst 1283 nurses working in Australian public and private hospitals. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, analysed and presented. The findings show that the quality of LMX is more important in public sector nursing contexts than in the private sector with regard to the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment. Furthermore, the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment is stronger for nurses in public sector organisations with low-quality LMX than for nurses in public sector organisations with high-quality LMX. As empowerment and affective commitment are both predictors of staff retention, the findings can assist in developing targeted current and future retention strategies for healthcare management.
View less >
View more >This study uses Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory to test the associations between the supervisor-subordinate relationship, psychological empowerment and affective commitment amongst 1283 nurses working in Australian public and private hospitals. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, analysed and presented. The findings show that the quality of LMX is more important in public sector nursing contexts than in the private sector with regard to the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment. Furthermore, the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment is stronger for nurses in public sector organisations with low-quality LMX than for nurses in public sector organisations with high-quality LMX. As empowerment and affective commitment are both predictors of staff retention, the findings can assist in developing targeted current and future retention strategies for healthcare management.
View less >
Journal Title
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Volume
23
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2011 Taylor & Francis. This is an electronic version of an article published in International Journal of Human Resource Management, Volume 23, Issue 11, 2012, pages 2238-2255. International Journal of Human Resource Management is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com with the open URL of your article.
Subject
Human resources management
Business systems in context not elsewhere classified
Marketing
Policy and administration