Mediating Effect of Affective Commitment among Leader Member Exchange Communication in Virtual Project Success

Abstract

The increasing reliance on virtual project teams has transformed organizational practices, making effective leadership and employee commitment essential determinants of project success. This study examined the mediating effect of affective commitment on the relationship between Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) and Virtual Project Success among employees working in virtual project environments. Grounded in Leader–Member Exchange Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study proposed that high-quality leader–member relationships enhance employees' affective commitment, which subsequently contributes to improved project outcomes. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected from employees working in virtual project teams across public and private organizations in Punjab, Pakistan. Using a convenience sampling technique, 250 questionnaires were distributed, of which N=226 valid responses were retained for analysis. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and AMOS 24 through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and bootstrapping procedures to test the proposed mediation model. The findings revealed that Leader–Member Exchange had a significant positive effect on both Affective Commitment and Virtual Project Success. Affective Commitment also significantly predicted Virtual Project Success. Furthermore, bootstrapping analysis confirmed that Affective Commitment partially mediated the relationship between Leader–Member Exchange and Virtual Project Success. These findings suggest that supportive leader–employee relationships foster employees' emotional attachment to their organizations, thereby enhancing collaboration, engagement, and project performance in virtual work settings. The study contributes to leadership and project management literature by providing empirical evidence from a developing-country context and offers practical implications for organizational leaders and project managers seeking to improve virtual project effectiveness through relationship-oriented leadership and employee commitment strategies.