Skill-enhancing, Motivation-enhancing and Empowerment-fostering HR Practices and Perceived Performance relationship: Analyzing mediating variables effect and considering specific pathways

Demortier, Anne-Lise
(2013) EIASM – 28th Workshop on Strategic Human Resource Management — Location: Copenhagen, Denmark (15.April.2013)

Files

No attached file found for this publication.

Details

Authors
  • Demortier, Anne-LiseUCLouvain
    Author
Abstract
Drawing on the pathways perspective (Jiang et al., 2012a; Jiang, Lepak, Hu, & Baer, 2012b) and on the Ability – Motivation – Opportunity model (Appelbaum, Bailey, & Berg, 2000), the proposed quantitative contribution aims to analyze the mediator effect of professional expertise, engagement, and creativity, in the relationship between skill-enhancing, motivation-enhancing and empowerment-fostering HR practices and perceived business unit performance (Gardner, Wright, & Moynihan, 2011). In this framework, this research aims to deeper investigate the nature of the HR practices – company performance classical relationship – i.e. the role of the black box of it (Jiang et al., 2012a; Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, & Drake, 2009). Our model is based on the responses from 541 individuals employed in 9 knowledge-intensive firms in Luxembourg. We test the hypothesis with SPSS, and the mediating relationships are based on Baron and Kenny (1986)’s method. Results validate the hypothesis above described. Two theoretical frameworks are mobilized to explain the mechanisms operating inside this black box (Takeuchi, Lepak, Heli, & Takeuchi, 2007): (1) A behavioral perspective – and precisely the Social exchange theory (Blau, 1964) –, and (2) the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) (Barney, 1991). On this basis, the proposed research has two objectives: 1) Firstly, we prove the positive mediating role of human capital micro-foundations (Nyberg, Moliterno, Hale, & Lepak, 2012; Ployhart & Moliterno, 2011) – i.e. individuals’ knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics, here precisely operationalized as professional expertise, engagement and creativity –, in the classical HR practices – company performance relationship. This contributes to open the black box of the relationship (Boselie, Dietz, & Boon, 2005; Wright & McMahan, 2011). 2) Secondly, and as the heart of the paper, we validate that the fact to consider specific bundles of HR practices (Chadwick, 2010) – i.e. Skill-enhancing practices, Motivation-enhancing practices, and Empowerment-enhancing practices – leads to better explain the mediating impact of these human capital micro-foundations – i.e. professional expertise, engagement, and creativity respectively, on perceived performance (organizational, innovation and market precisely). Such a model thus permits us to detect specific pathways in the global HR practices – human capital micro-foundations – business unit performance relationship. On this basis, we conclude that global HR models and systems – classical in the literature – should be refined in function of the company’s specific human capital needs, and thus HR strategy. As a consequence, on a managerial point of view, considering these specific pathways must enhance the HR system efficiency, improve perceived organizational performance, perceived innovation performance, and perceived market performance (Delaney & Huselid, 1996). Moreover, in this specific context of the Knowledge-intensive firms, HR practices bundles have a more important impact on innovation performance than in other performance types.
Affiliations
  • Louvain School of ManagementStrategy and Organisation

Citations

  • APA
  • Chicago
  • FWB

Demortier, A.-L. (2013). Skill-enhancing, Motivation-enhancing and Empowerment-fostering HR Practices and Perceived Performance relationship: Analyzing mediating variables effect and considering specific pathways. EIASM – 28th Workshop on Strategic Human Resource Management, Copenhagen, Denmark. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/73035