Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review

Russell Cropanzano; Marie S. Mitchell

doi:10.1177/0149206305279602

Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review

Russell Cropanzano¹; Marie S. Mitchell²

¹ Department of Management and Policy, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210108, Tucson, AZ 85721-0108, · ² Department of Management, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 161400, Orlando, FL 32816-1400

Journal of Management 2005

Social exchange theory (SET) is one the most influential conceptual paradigms in organizational behavior. Despite its usefulness, theoretical ambiguities within SET remain. As a consequence, tests of the model, as well as its applications, tend to rely on an incompletely specified set of ideas. The authors address conceptual difficulties and highlight areas in need of additional research. In so doing, they pay special attention to four issues: (a) the roots of the conceptual ambiguities, (b) norms and rules of exchange, (c) nature of the resources being exchanged, and (d) social exchange relationships.

DOI: 10.1177/0149206305279602
Volume: 31 (6)
Pages: 874-900
Language: en
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Sources: crossref