Do collaborative values matter for well-being? Evidence from a cross-country analysis using necessary condition analysis

Purpose This study examines whether collaborative values and relational well-being constitute necessary conditions for Gen Z students' psychological well-being, with particular attention to the mediating role of relational well-being and to variation across national cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach A dual-method design combines partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). PLS-SEM is used to assess predictive relationships, whereas NCA identifies the minimum conditions required for high levels of psychological well-being. The sample comprises Gen Z business students from Colombia, France and Romania. Cross-country differences are treated as contextual and interpreted descriptively and exploratorily. Findings Relational well-being is a significant predictor of psychological well-being in all three countries and emerges as a necessary condition in Colombia and Romania. Collaborative values do not directly affect psychological well-being, but they exert an indirect effect through relational well-being. NCA further indicates that necessity patterns vary across the three national contexts, with collaborative values appearing as a necessary condition only in Colombia. These cross-country differences are interpreted as exploratory patterns rather than confirmatory evidence of fixed cultural effects. Originality/value This study is among the first to combine PLS-SEM and NCA to examine Gen Z well-being in a multi-country setting. By integrating sufficiency and necessity logics, it offers a richer account of how collaborative values and relational well-being relate to psychological well-being. It also advances a context-sensitive interpretation of cross-country variation while avoiding direct inference from national cultural profiles to individual-level characteristics.