Do Social Exchange Relationships Influence Total-Quality-Management Involvement? Evidence from Frontline Employees of International Hotels

Abstract

This study delves into the assessment of the quality of social exchange relationships in the workplace, specifically focusing on leader–member exchange (LMX) and team–member exchange (TMX), to forecast employee Total Quality Management (TQM) involvement within the hospitality industry. Employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study evaluates multiple hypotheses, utilizing data collected from 811 frontline employees in international tourist hotels located in Taiwan. The findings demonstrate that both LMX and TMX exhibit direct positive influences on employee TQM involvement. Moreover, through mediated path analyses, it is evident that both LMX and TMX exert indirect positive impacts on employee TQM involvement, by means of self-efficacy and job satisfaction. These results elucidate a clear causal chain mechanism underlying the behavior of employee TQM involvement within such social relationships. The study’s revelations carry significant implications for the hospitality industry, shedding light on the nuanced dynamics of these social relationships and their impact on employee behavior concerning TQM involvement. The discussions encompassing the implications of these findings in the realm of hospitality are thoroughly explored and detailed.