Abstract: TMX examines the influence of relationship quality between individual member and other members in the group on the group’s overall performance and on individual performance as well. It first gives a systematic introduction about the TMX Theory by means of reviewing its concept, theoretical basis, method and measurement. Furthermore, it summarizes the empirical researching results of the antecedents and outcomes of TMX, and also includes researches of TMX as mediator and moderator. In the summary, variables of these researches have been differentiated at group level and individual level. Finally, it puts forward that the further empirical researches on TMX should be carried on under the Chinese context, and develops the TMX scales suitable to Chinese managerial context.

Key words: team-member exchange, social identity theory, social exchange theory, reciprocity, role theory