Showing papers in "Human Resource Management in 2010"

High performance work systems in emergent organizations: Implications for firm performance

Abstract: Emerging firms are the foundation for economic growth in today's business world. Yet relatively little is known about the factors that contribute to the success or failure of developing organizations. This research study addresses this broad question by examining the role that high performance work systems (HPWS) play in the performance of high-tech new ventures. Using the resource-based and dynamic capability perspectives, this research project examines the links between HPWS and firm performance. Results indicate that HPWS utilization is positively associated with sales growth and innovation; however, a hypothesized mediating role for employee voluntary turn over was not supported. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of diversity and equality management on firm performance: Beyond high performance work systems

Abstract: This article demonstrates that a diversity and equality management system (DEMS) contributes to firm performance beyond the effects of a traditional high-performance work system (HPWS), which consists of bundles of work practices and policies used extensively in high-performing firms. A DEMS typically includes diversity training and monitoring recruitment, pay, and promotion across minority or other disadvantaged groups. Our analysis of quantitative data from service and manufacturing organizations in Ireland confirms that HPWS practices are associated with positive business performance and finds specifically that DEMS practices are positively associated with higher labor productivity and workforce innovation and lower voluntary employee turnover. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Employee satisfaction with meetings: A contemporary facet of job satisfaction

Abstract: Given the ubiquity, time investment, and theoretical relevance of meetings to work attitudes, this study explored whether organizational science should consider employee satisfaction with meetings as a contemporary, important, and discrete facet of job satisfaction. Using affective events theory, we postulated that meetings are affect-generating events that meaningfully contribute to overall job satisfaction. Two surveys queried working adults: Study 1 used a paper-based survey (n = 201), while Study 2 used an Internet-based survey (n = 785). Satisfaction with meetings was positively related to and significantly predicted overall job satisfaction (p < .05) after controlling for individual difference variables (e.g., participant background variables, negative affect), traditional job satisfaction facets (e.g., work, supervision, pay), and other conceptually relevant constructs (e.g., satisfaction with communication, organizational commitment). Exploratory (Study 1) and confirmatory (Study 2) factor analyses provided evidence that meeting satisfaction is a distinct facet of job satisfaction. Finally, as hypothesized, the relationship between meeting satisfaction and job satisfaction depends in part upon the number of meetings typically attended. The relationship was stronger (more positive) when meeting demands were higher and weaker when meeting demands were lower. Implications for assessment, leadership development, on-boarding, and high potential initiatives are discussed. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Linking HR formality with employee job quality: The role of firm and workplace size

Abstract: The process of managing a small firm differs from managing a large firm, because small firms face distinct forms of risk and organize their human resources differently, often informally (Kotey & Slade, 2005; Storey, 2002). This paper introduces and tests a new variable, self-reported job quality (SRJQ), as a key link in the causal chain between HR practices and outcomes. In comparing small firms with large ones, we present three key findings: (1) employee reports of job quality are highest in small firms and decrease as firm size increases; (2) in workplaces owned by large firms, job quality is highest in the smallest workplaces; and (3) workers in small workplaces owned by large firms report lower job quality than workers in comparable sized workplaces owned by small firms. Our findings are partially explained by how formally HR practices are implemented. We show that formality increases with firm size and workplace size. Importantly, evidence suggests that employing an HR professional (a key indicator of HR formality) lowers SRJQ in single-site SMEs. Implications for small business owners, HR professionals in large and small firms, and policy makers are discussed.

Reducing burnout in call centers through HR practices

Abstract: Previous research on call centers has demonstrated that human resource (HR) practices can be related to employee stress; however, these studies did not examine the linking mechanisms underlying these associations. Using the job demands–control (JD-C) model as a theoretical framework, we examine perceived job demands (namely, emotional dissonance and quantitative demands) and autonomy as potential mediators in the relationship between HR systems and burnout (exhaustion and cynicism). We distinguish between HR control systems, which include performance monitoring practices, and HR involvement systems, which include training, participation, and performance-related pay. This study samples 811 employees working in 11 call centers. Our findings support the idea that HR systems can help reduce burnout in call centers by verifying that HR control systems associated with more emotional dissonance and less autonomy increase burnout. On the other hand, an HR involvement system decreases workers' burnout because it alleviates the job demands of emotional dissonance and quantitative demands. This study fills a gap in the literature between HR systems and burnout by demonstrating the role job demands and autonomy play in explaining how HR systems improve or decrease workers' exhaustion and cynicism. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Boosting corporate entrepreneurship through HRM practices: Evidence from German SMEs

Abstract: Corporate entrepreneurship (CE) is highly important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to remain competitive. It is difficult for these organizations, however, to choose relevant SME management practices to induce CE. The goal of this study is to determine which human resource management (HRM) practices promote CE in SMEs. We examined the interrelationships between specific HRM practices (staff selection, staff development and training, staff rewards, specialist assignments) and CE dimensions (innovativeness, risk propensity, proactiveness, new business venturing, and self-renewal). To that end, we analyzed empirical data from a cross-sectional dataset of 214 knowledge-intensive German SMEs. The results provided empirical evidence for the strong impact of staff selection, staff development, and training as well as staff rewards on CE. We contribute to current CE/HRM research, which is generally rather qualitative, by identifying specific productive approaches that SMEs can use to increase entrepreneurial activity through HRM practices and by discussing the positive impacts that such activity can produce. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

(How) Does the HR strategy support an innovation oriented business strategy? An investigation of institutional context and organizational practices in Indian firms

Abstract: This paper investigates how human resources are managed in firms of different ownership forms in India and the extent to which strategic human resource management (hereafter strategic HRM) techniques have been adopted to support an innovation-oriented business strategy. Based on a qualitative study of 54 Indian managers from different firms, this study highlights the Indian institutional context for strategic HRM. It reveals the extent to which the Western approach to and configuration of high-commitment/performance models of HR practices may differ from those found in Indian firms. This study also has a number of practical implications for HR professionals, HR practices, and organizations in the global context.

Investigating the impact of organizational culture on supply chain integration

Abstract: Supply chain integration constitutes the major thrust of supply chain management initiatives. In this study, we investigate the effects of organizational culture to determine the types of cultural characteristics that are strongly associated with efforts to integrate the supply chain and delivery performance. Previous researchers have theorized and demonstrated that organizational culture leads to adopting management practices consistent with the culture and that these practices are associated with firm performance. There has been a relative dearth of research, however, on the impact of organizational culture in operations management literature. Thus, this study investigates the effects of organizational culture, measured by the competing values framework (CVF), on two types of supply chain integration efforts: (1) internal integration and (2) external integration with key suppliers and key customers. Employing the CVF, we assess organizational culture along four dimensions—market, hierarchy, clan, and adhocracy. Results indicate that culture does influence firms to adopt internal and external integration practices. Our findings also provide evidence that a firm's adhocracy culture score is positively associated with external integration, while a firm's hierarchy culture score is negatively associated with both internal and external integration practices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effective work-life balance support for various household structures

Abstract: Today's workforce encompasses a wide variety of employees with specific needs and resources when it comes to balancing work and life roles. Our study explores whether various types of work-life balance support measures improve employee helping behavior and performance among single employees, employees with a partner, and employees with a partner and children. Using a sample of 482 employees at 24 organizations, the results showed that the organization's work-family culture improved work performance among parents but reduced performance among singles. Singles' work outcomes improved, however, when they had access to flexible work arrangements, whereas couples benefited from their supervisors' social support. The results stress the importance of the employee's household structure when considering appropriate support for balancing work and life roles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diversity management in India: A study of organizations in different ownership forms and industrial sectors

Abstract: Strategically managing workforce diversity is a value-adding HR function that enhances organizational performance. Managing diversity is a complex and unique HR issue in India due to its religious and cultural diversity and the use of legislation by the Indian state to tackle societal inequities and complexities. This paper contributes to existing knowledge on diversity management and strategic HRM in the Indian context through an in-depth case study of 24 firms of different ownership forms in a number of industries in India. The main method of data collection was semi-structured interviews with 110 managers at various levels and 102 non-managerial employees. Each interview was conducted individually. This paper takes the U.S.-originated concept of diversity management in the HRM context as a starting point. It uses this as a guide to investigate how the concept is understood and operationalized in several leading business organizations across different ownership forms and industrial sectors in India. Results reveal the differences between Western MNCs and Eastern firms as well as the varying views of Indian managers and employees on issues related to diversity management. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adopting HRM practices and their effectiveness in small firms facing product‐market competition

Abstract: Small firms face many challenges in creating a productive workforce given often severe resource constraints and informal organizational structures. This may be particularly problematic in industries with intense product-market competition. In this study, we focus on the relationship between product-market competition and labor productivity, particularly as influenced by both adopting human resource management (HRM) practices and having a group culture within the organization. We examine our model using data from 145 UK-based small- and medium-sized enterprises. Our findings suggest that having a group culture is a key factor in the extent to which HRM practices are adopted, as well as how effective adopting these practices is for increasing labor productivity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of job embeddedness on innovation-related behaviors

Abstract: It has often been argued that low turnover leads to less innovation in organizations, not only because fewer job vacancies are available for outsiders with new ideas, but also because longer-tenured employees might be more resistant to change. In this study, we propose that job embeddedness may actually strengthen employees' motivation to generate, spread, and implement innovative ideas in organizations. In a longitudinal study with a diverse sample, we found that job embeddedness was positively and significantly related to innovation-related behaviors, even after controlling for demographic variables, the job attitudes, and the job perceptions that are frequently associated with job embeddedness. In addition, we found some support for the proposed moderating effects of career stage; that is, the relationship between job embeddedness and implementing innovative ideas was stronger for individuals in the mid- and late stages of their careers than for those in the early stage of their careers. This article concludes with directions for developing future theory. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Firm reputation, recruitment web sites, and attracting applicants

Abstract: Despite rapid growth in using Web sites to recruit applicants, little theoretical or empirical research has examined how firm attributes influence the effectiveness of recruitment Web sites. We developed and tested a model that examines the relationships among the firm's reputation as an employer, the attributes of the firm's Web site, and applicant attraction using data on business students' reactions to the recruitment Web sites of 144 firms. Results indicated that the amount of company and job attribute information provided on a recruitment Web site, the Web site's vividness, and the firm's reputation as an employer have a three-way interactive effect on prospective applicants' perceptions of the recruiting organization. As such, certain Web site attributes were more effective for firms with poor reputations and others for those with a good reputation. The implications of these results for recruitment research and for firms using Web sites as recruitment tools are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using social exchange theory to predict the effects of high-performance human resource practices on corporate entrepreneurship: Evidence from China

Abstract: Using the foundation of social exchange theory, we examined underlying mechanisms linking the relationship of high-performance human resource practices and corporate entrepreneurship (CE). Specifically, we explore why and under what conditions these two concepts are related. A multilevel analysis of data from biotechnology pharmaceutical enterprises in the People's Republic of China revealed that employees' perceived organizational support (POS) mediated the relationship between high-performance human resource practices and CE. Further, organizational culture moderates the relationship between high-performance human resource practices and employees' POS. The implications of these findings for both management theory and practice are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Does structuring of human resource management processes enhance employee creativity? The mediating role of psychological availability

Abstract: In this study, we develop a theoretical conceptualization and an operational definition of structuring of human resource management (HRM) processes and examine how this structuring enables employee creativity at work. Analyzing the data collected from employees and their managers in knowledge-intensive workplace settings, we examine a mediation model that suggests that the relationship between structuring of HRM processes and employee creativity is best explained in terms of the intervening variables of perceived uncertainty, stress, and psychological availability. Results suggest that structuring of HRM processes is negatively associated with perceived uncertainty and stress. These perceptions produce a sense of psychological availability, which in turn enhances employee creativity. This study offers new insights about diagnosing the level of structuring of HRM processes and the ways managers and HR directors facilitate its implementation in their organization. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cross-Cultural Differences on Work-to-Family Conflict and Role Satisfaction: A Taiwanese-British Comparison

Abstract: The aim of this research was to explore relations between work and family demands and resources, work-to-family conflict (WFC), and work and family outcomes in a cross-cultural comparative context involving Taiwanese and British employees. Two-hundred and sixty-four Taiwanese employees and 137 British employees were surveyed using structured questionnaires. For both Taiwanese and British employees, work and family demands were positively related to WFC, whereas work resources were negatively related to WFC. Furthermore, WFC was negatively related to family satisfaction. More importantly, we found that nation moderated relationships between work resources and WFC, WFC and work, and family satisfaction. Specifically, work resources had a stronger protective effect for Taiwanese than British in reducing WFC, whereas WFC had a stronger detrimental effect on role satisfaction for British than Taiwanese. It is recommended that both culture-general and culture-specific effects should be taken into consideration in designing future WFC research and familyfriendly managerial practices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Linking human capital to competitive advantages: Flexibility in a manufacturing firm's supply chain

Abstract: Flexibility in a manufacturing firm is a strategic choice that advances the firm's superior performance. This is especially true in the emerging supply chain, which makes the firm's environment particularly turbulent. This paper examines the critical relationships between a manufacturing firm's human capital, the firm's flexibility, suppliers' flexibility, and the firm's competitive advantages. Based on questionnaire responses from 201 senior supply chain management professionals in several manufacturing industries, this study establishes direct links between a manufacturing firm's human capital and the firm's superior flexibility, and between a manufacturing firm's flexibility and its competitive advantages. In addition, this research finds that the firm's flexibility mediates the relationship between the firm's human capital and its competitive advantages, as does the connection between the suppliers' flexibility and the firm's competitive advantages. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Linking emotional dissonance and organizational identification to turnover intention and emotional well‐being: A study of medical representatives in India

Abstract: Influencing customers' perception of service quality through service interaction is becoming imperative for organizations to sustain competitive advantage. As a result, the critical challenge before many organizations is to retain employees in service occupations and promote their well-being. This study examined the relationship of organizational identification and emotional dissonance with turnover intention and well-being among a sample of 468 medical representatives in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Drawing from the conservation of resource theory, this study shows that apart from its direct effect, emotional dissonance has a mediating effect on the relationship of organizational identification with turnover intention and emotional well-being. Contributions of this study to the theory and practice of human resource management (HRM) are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A missing link in the transfer problem? Examining how trainers learn about training transfer

Abstract: This study describes and reports the methods training professionals use to learn about training transfer. Specifically, this study focused on trainers' use and perceived utility of the literature (research and practitioner-based) to develop their knowledge of how to support training transfer in their organization. Consistent with extant research conducted on human resource professionals, our survey results suggest that training professionals seek knowledge mostly through informal learning (e.g., job experiences, discussions with internal and external training professionals, books, searching the Web), but they prefer to learn about training transfer in discussions with external trainers and academics. As a follow-up to the survey, our interview results indicate that trainers select learning methods based on source quality, motivation, and accessibility, but these differed based on which learning methods were chosen. Ideas to guide future human resource researchers are presented within the framework of information-seeking theory. This paper concludes by discussing practical implications for increasing trainer competencies that support training transfer in organizations. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The strength of HR practices in India and their effects on employee career success, performance, and potential

Abstract: This study explores the role of HR practices for individual and organizational success via a survey of 4,811 employees from 32 units of 28 companies operating in India. We report on employee perceptions of the effectiveness of three specifi c human resource practices within their fi rms and the relationship of these practices to career success, performance, and potential. Companies operating in India appear to be creating strong human resource climates based on structured HR practices in performance management, professional development, and normalized performance ratings. The perceived effectiveness of these HR practices infl uences employees’ perceptions of career success and, to a lesser extent, organizationally rated performance and potential. We report differences in perceptions of HR practices among national, international, and global companies and among the industries of information technology (IT), manufacturing, and services. The relationship of perceptions to HR practices and outcomes was partially contingent on fi geographic scope and industry sector. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Guest editors' introduction: Emerging patterns of HRM in the new Indian economic environment

Abstract: Special Issue: Special Issue: Emerging Patterns of HRM in the New Indian Economic Environment

Outcomes of intention to quit of Indian IT professionals

Abstract: Intention to quit has been getting attention in the context of employee attrition, with focus on its antecedents. A related aspect that needs attention is the outcome of intention to quit, where little research has occurred, especially in the Indian context. The present study explores performance orientation, organizational deviance, and organizational citizenship behavior as outcomes of intention to quit of Indian IT professionals. These factors become critical in the context of human resource management because employees who want to quit may become less productive or even dysfunctional for the organization. Interviews and a questionnaire-based survey were used in this research. The survey was conducted using software professionals with work experience of less than four years, with the results based on 533 responses. The initial results show that as hypothesized, intention to quit does lead to less performance orientation, higher organizational deviance, and less organizational citizenship behavior. Further, exploration using structural equation modeling shows that performance orientation mediates the relationships between intention to quit and organizational citizenship behavior as well as between intention to quit and organizational deviance. This study's findings imply that organizations need to understand that employees with a high intention to quit can prove costly from multiple dimensions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stock price reactions to GLBT nondiscrimination policies

Abstract: This study examines workplace issues of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) employees. Specifically, we analyze the effect of firm GLBT nondiscrimination policies on that firm's stock market value. Corporate equality index (CEI) is used as a proxy for how firms manage GLBT issues. Results reveal that changes in firms' standardized CEI scores are positively associated with changes in firms' standardized stock price trend during the following year. Our findings suggest that the stock prices of firms with more progressive GLBT nondiscrimination policies relative to competing firms in the same industry outperform otherwise equivalent firms with lower CEI scores. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

When R&D spending is not enough: The critical role of culture when you really want to innovate

Abstract: Organizations invest substantial resources in research and development (R&D) to increase long-term performance. Despite these investments, contextual contingencies can impact innovation. Our findings show that Chinese manufacturers with cultures emphasizing innovation and teamwork more effectively use financial resources in the innovation process. Findings also demonstrate that the impact of education on innovation is greater with low stability and high teamwork and innovation orientations. Results also indicate that a culture emphasizing outcomes and stability leads to lower levels of innovation irrespective of financial and human resources invested. Finally, we found a negative curvilinear interaction between R&D spending and outcome orientation on innovation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Swimming against the tide: Outward staffing flows from multinational subsidiaries

Abstract: Studying the flows of parent country nationals in multinational enterprises (MNEs) to subsidiary operations has a relatively long tradition. Studying flows of subsidiary employees to other subsidiaries, as third country nationals, and to the corporate headquarters, as inpatriates, however, has empirically much less pedigree. Drawing on a large-scale empirical study of MNEs in Ireland, this paper provides a benchmark of outward flows of international assignees from the Irish subsidiaries of foreign-owned MNEs to both corporate headquarters and other worldwide operations. Building on insights from the resource-based view and neo-institutional theory, we develop and test a theoretical model to explain outward staffing flows. The results show that almost half of all MNEs use some form of outward staffing flows from their Irish operations. Although the impact of specific variables in explaining inter-organization variation differs between the utilization of inpatriate and third country national assignments, overall we find that a number of headquarters, subsidiary, structural, and human resource systems factors emerge as strong predictors of outward staffing flows. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Recruitment and retention in foreign firms in India: A resource-based view

Abstract: Foreign firms in India currently face two major challenges in human resource management (HRM): personnel recruitment and retention. For this study, we adapted the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and tested which recruitment and retention practices positively impact the number of qualified applicants and the attrition rate in a sample of 80 North-Western European firms. Our findings suggest that a close relationship exists between using recruitment and retention practices shaped according to the RBV and these two efficiency criteria. We discuss the implications of our findings for both theory and practice as well as how our findings might transfer to other contexts. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Do openness to experience and recognizing opportunities have the same genetic source

Abstract: Recognizing opportunities for new businesses is an important part of the entrepreneurial process, one that researchers seek to explain and human resource managers seek to encourage. In this study, we examined whether the same genetic factors that affect openness to experience also influence recognizing opportunities. We applied bivariate genetics techniques to a sample of twins and found that a substantial part of the heritability of recognizing opportunities is mediated through genetic influences on openness to experience. Evidence of genetic effects on opportunity recognition has important implications for how companies might think about selection and training and raises important ethical issues in human resource management.

Contingent workers' impact on standard employee withdrawal behaviors: Does what you use them for matter?

Abstract: Previous research has suggested that workforce mixing—simultaneously using contingent workers and standard employees—can negatively affect standard employee attitudes and behaviors. In this study, we consider the impact of two reasons employers choose to use contingent workers (to enhance standard employee employment stability and to reduce labor costs) on standard employee withdrawal behaviors (absenteeism and turnover). We posit that when the aim of using contingent labor is to enhance standard employee employment stability (employment stability contingent labor strategy or ESCLS), the effects on standard employee withdrawal behaviors will differ from when the aim is to reduce labor costs (labor cost contingent labor strategy, or LCCLS). Using a sample of 90 firms that employ a mixed workforce, we examine the influence of ESCLS, LCCLS, and high investment HR systems (HIHRS) on standard employee withdrawal behaviors at the firm level. In addition to supporting the hypothesized direct (positive) effect of LCCLS on standard employee withdrawal behaviors, this study's results support the hypothesized moderating effects of HIHRS on the negative relationship between ESCLS and standard employee withdrawal behaviors and the positive relationship between LCCLS and standard employee withdrawal behaviors. Implications for research and practice and suggestions for further research are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An exploratory study of governance in the intra-firm human resources supply chain

Abstract: The human resource management (HRM) literature has paid insufficient attention to supply chain management (SCM) when exploring the architecture of human resources (HR). Drawing on an SCM perspective, this study develops our understanding of (1) the intra-firm HR supply chain, and (2) how this HR supply chain influences corporate governance processes within large organizations. We argue that the HR function, represented as an internal professional service supply chain, needs appropriate governance principles as it operates through multiple delivery channels and with a wide variety of HRM practices. Exploratory findings from a qualitative empirical study of seven large organizations investigating governance and risk management in the HR supply chain are presented. These in-depth interviews uncover how formal governance is relatively easy for these organizations to achieve, supported by outcome-focused monitoring tools, but informal governance mechanisms can fail due to insufficient attention. Although standardized approaches to HR delivery can maximize the opportunity for HR governance, little evidence was found that the organizations were considering the related governance implications explicitly. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is internationalization associated with investments in HRM? A study of entrepreneurial firms in emerging markets

Abstract: This study investigates how internationalization is associated with investing in HRM within entrepreneurial firms from emerging markets Using a sample of 171 firms from India, China, and South Africa, we show that when firms internationalize either into more economically developed countries or into countries with stronger employment regulations, they also invest more in HRM practices Moreover, firms led by CEOs with general management experience and those more concerned with meeting international standards invest more in HRM practices Finally, HRM investments are also greater in entrepreneurial firms characterized by extensive international partnerships Overall, our findings suggest that internationalization by entrepreneurial firms in emerging markets is associated with developing HRM practices © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc