Effects of Gen Y hotel employee’s voice and team-member exchange on satisfaction and affective commitment between the U.S. and China

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of employee voice (EV) and team-member exchange (TMX) on employee job satisfaction (EJS) and affective commitment to an organization among Gen Y employees of hotel companies in the USA and China. Design/methodology/approach Using a Qualtrics panel, a self-administered online survey was completed by Gen Y hotel employees in the USA and China. Multiple-group structural equation modeling analysis examined relative moderating effects on the proposed framework. Findings The effect of EV on EJS was greater in China than in the USA. However, Gen Y hotel employees in the USA who experience high-quality TMX are more likely to have greater EJS than they would in China. Research limitations/implications Further studies need to be carried out in other hospitality sectors or non-hospitality business areas with different cross-national contexts. Practical implications Chinese hotel managers need to develop effective ways to encourage Gen Y EV. To promote TMX of Gen Y employees in the USA, supporting team-oriented projects and/or evaluations can be an effective way. Originality/value This study advances previous cross-cultural studies by focusing on a generation subculture. It makes significant contributions to the hospitality literature, as it is the first among research studies that examines Gen Y employees’ extra-role behavior (EV) and TMX across different national cultures: the USA vs China.