The moderating role of leader-member exchange in the relationship between organisational commitment and innovation culture: The case of the defense industry

The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating effect of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) on the positive relationship between organizational commitment and innovation culture, using the defense industry as a case example. In this context, organizational commitment is explained through its emotional (affective), continuance, and normative dimensions, while innovation culture is defined as a set of values and norms that support innovative thinking and creativity within an organization. Leader-member exchange (LMX) is examined as a multidimensional construct consisting of influence, loyalty, contribution, and professional respect dimensions. The core assumption of the research is that there is a positive relationship between organizational commitment and innovation culture, and that leader-member exchange may have a moderating effect on this relationship. Specifically, the study explores the potential of LMX subdimensions (influence, loyalty, contribution, professional respect) to shape this relationship. A quantitative research method was employed to collect data. A survey was administered to 1,000 employees with various titles in the defense industry, resulting in 281 valid responses. Participants completed the Organizational Commitment Scale, the Multidimensional LMX Scale, and the Innovation Culture Scale. Pearson correlation analysis was first conducted to examine the basic relationships between the variables. Subsequently, hierarchical regression analysis was performed to analyze the moderating effect of LMX on the relationship between organizational commitment and innovation culture. The results revealed that leader-member exchange strengthens the positive relationship between organizational commitment and innovation culture, and that certain subdimensions of LMX have a more pronounced moderating effect on this relationship.