Gender in the boss-subordinate relationship: a Nigerian study

The present study examines the interaction effect of gender of both subordinates and supervisors on subordinates' perception of differentiation of boss-subordinate relationship in an African setting. Data was collected from a total of 60 boss-subordinate dyads in four-sex combinations obtained through a survey of a large five-star hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. Results revealed that subordinates in opposite-sex dyads perceived better quality of exchange than those in same-sex dyads. The strongest quality of exchange was perceived in male boss-female subordinate dyad, while the weakest was perceived in female boss-female subordinate dyad. This emphasizes the importance of gender in the differentiation of boss-subordinate relationships in an African setting. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.