Leader–member exchange and prohibitive voice in nonprofit organizations in China: The moderating roles of superior–subordinate tenure matching

Abstract

The specific purpose of the present research contributes to addressing a gap in the organizational literature by examining how a superior–subordinate relationship may influence the use of prohibitive voice by employees in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). With data collected from 1,798 employees in 103 NPOs in southeastern China, the article investigates the influence of leader–member exchange (LMX) quality on prohibitive voice and explores the moderating effects of superior–subordinate tenure matching on the influence of LMX on prohibitive voice in NPOs. The results indicate that the quality of LMX relationships has a significant, positive influence on employee prohibitive voice behavior in NPOs, and this influence is moderated by superior–subordinate organizational tenure matching and LMX tenure matching. The study offers insights into the use of voice in NPOs as these organizations experience more difficult agency problems than for‐profit firms.