The Mediating Role of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) in The Structural Relationship Between Organizational Justice and Employee Voice Behaviour – A Conceptual Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-626-5_62How to use a DOI?

Keywords

organizational justice; procedural justice; interactional justice; leader–member exchange; employee voice; social exchange theory

Abstract

This conceptual paper examines the mediating role of leader–member exchange (LMX) in the structural relationship between organizational justice and employee voice behaviour in Indonesian organizations. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, we argue that employees’ perceptions of procedural and interactional justice shape the quality of their relationships with leaders, which in turn influence their willingness to speak up with ideas, concerns, and suggestions for improvement. A narrative review of recent empirical studies on organizational justice, LMX, and employee voice is conducted to develop an integrated conceptual framework. The framework proposes that fair and transparent procedures, together with respectful and informative interpersonal treatment, foster high-quality LMX characterised by trust, mutual support, and open communication. High-quality LMX then enhances psychological safety and a sense of obligation, which encourage promotive, preventive, and ethical forms of voice behaviour. The model also allows for direct effects of procedural and interactional justice on employee voice, positioning LMX as a partial mediator. Situated in the collectivist and relatively high power-distance context of Indonesia, the framework highlights the importance of leader–follower relationships as a critical transmission mechanism through which justice perceptions are translated into constructive voice. The paper concludes by outlining testable propositions and suggesting avenues for future empirical research, particularly in higher education and other knowledge-intensive sectors, and by offering practical implications for designing fair procedures, strengthening interactional justice, and developing leadership practices that build high-quality exchanges and a more participative work climate. These insights provide guidance for HR policies aimed at enhancing innovation, engagement, and organizational sustainability.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Ari Andri Wibowo
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/15
TI  - The Mediating Role of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) in The Structural Relationship Between Organizational Justice and Employee Voice Behaviour – A Conceptual Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Business, Economic, and Social Sustainability (ICOBES 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 845
EP  - 859
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-626-5_62
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-626-5_62
ID  - Wibowo2026
ER  -