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Title: Leader-image compatibility: An image theory view of leadership

Authors: Kenneth J. Dunegan

Addresses: Author address listing can be found in the "About the Authors" section at the end of the article.

Abstract: Data from a field study of employee attitudes and perceptions support an image compatibility perspective of leadership. Drawing from Beach\'s Image Theory (1990), the study compares a 6-item leader-image compatibility measure with an existing leadership instrument- Leader-Member Exchange (LMX). Results show the image theory approach compares favorably to LMX in predicting 5 job-related measures of subordinate attitudes and perceptions. Findings expand the scope of image theory applications and demonstrate that an image compatibility assessment of leadership is conceptually sound and statistically justified. Implications are discussed regarding the utility of an image theory perspective of leadership in an increasingly diverse workforce.

Keywords: Leader-image compatibility; image theory; leadership; leader-member exchange; subordinate attitudes.

DOI: 10.1504/JBM.2003.141101

Journal of Business and Management, 2003 Vol.9 No.1, pp.61 - 77

Published online: 05 Sep 2024 *