Examining the “dark-side” of high performance work systems in the Greek manufacturing sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis V. Kloutsiniotis ◽  
Anastasia A. Katou ◽  
Dimitrios M. Mihail

PurposeThe present study follows the conflicting outcomes perspective of Human Resources Management (HRM) and examines the effects of employees' perceptions of high performance work systems (HPWS) on job demands (role conflict, role ambiguity and work pressure) and work engagement (vigor and dedication).Design/methodology/approachStructural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used on a sample of 524 front-line employees across three Greek manufacturing companies.FindingsThe findings show that HPWS is negatively associated with all three job demands. Hence, the “critical perspective” is not supported. In turn, role conflict and role ambiguity reduce employees' work engagement, although the third job demand included in the study (work pressure) showed a positive relationship on dedication. Last but not least, this study calculates HPWS as both a system and as subsets of HRM practices, and provides useful insights regarding the differences between the two different measurement methods.Practical implicationsThe present study brings further empirical evidence in the HRM field by examining whether HPWS is good or bad for employee well-being. Moreover, the findings underscore the detrimental impact that job demands may have on employees' work engagement, and highlights the fact that HPWS might not necessarily be a “win-win” scenario for employees and employers.Originality/valueThis study follows the most recent developments in the HRM literature and examines the dark (negative) approach of HPWS in the Greek manufacturing sector. Finally, theoretical and managerial implications are drawn for improving our understanding of how HPWS influences job demands and ultimately employees' work engagement.

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

Purpose This paper examines the relationship between business strategies and employees’ intention to leave (ITL), through the mediating role of high-performance work system (HPWS). Design/methodology/approach To test their hypotheses, the authors used self-administered questionnaires. They drew up a list of 600 organizations of different nature and structure operating in India that were listed by the Federation of Indian Chambers and Industry. They approved 192 organizations and sent the surveys to 960 executives. They aimed to receive a minimum of one response from an HR executive and two from non-HR executives from each one. In the end, they received 572 useable responses. Findings The study found that high-performance work systems (HPWS) mediate the relationship between business strategy and employees’ intention to leave (ITL). The two effective approaches were “quality management” and “innovation strategy”, both of which reinforced the adoption of HPWS. But a third approach, a “cost-reduction strategy”, was not shown to be positively correlated with HPWS. Another important finding was that the influence on ITL did not vary across the types, or ownership structures, of the firms. Originality/value The data has lessons for HR departments. First, it shows it is advantageous for firms hoping to retain more employees to invest in HPWS that are consistent with the values of their organizations. A second practical finding is that firms need to take into account the Indian context. A third lesson is HR practitioners should make strong efforts to communicate the goals of the HPWS to employees The study also shows firms adopting cost-reduction strategies should focus more on treating employees as resources.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Unai Elorza ◽  
Christopher Harris ◽  
Aitor Aritzeta ◽  
Nekane Balluerka

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand how management and employee perspectives of high-performance work systems (HPWS) relate to employee discretionary behaviour. In addition, the paper examines to what extent the relationship between employees’ perception of the HPWS and discretionary behaviour varies among different organizations/groups. Design/methodology/approach – Two samples were used in the study. The first sample included data from 51 managers and 1,023 employees from 26 manufacturing companies. The second sample included 52 managers and 6,382 employees from 42 manufacturing companies. Findings – The study shows that employee rated HPWS mediates the relationship between management rated HPWS and individual-level discretionary behaviour. Moreover, results showed that the effect of employee rated HPWS on discretionary behaviour varies among different organizations/groups. Practical implications – Results show that employee perceptions of the HPWS more strongly predict employees’ discretionary behaviour than management rated HPWS. Moreover, it shows that employees’ perceptions of the same HPWS, but operating in different organizational contexts exhibit different levels of discretionary behaviour. Originality/value – The study differentiates between management and employee perspectives of the HPWS. It also examines the variability of the relationship between HPWS and discretionary behaviour. Multilevel structural equation modelling is used to test the hypotheses.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia A. Katou

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on organizational performance through the mediating role of human resources (HR) flexibility (expressed by functional flexibility, skills malleability and behavioural flexibility).Design/methodology/approachThe study examines theoretical relationships in the Greek context, which reflects changing economic and financial crisis, based on multilevel structural equation modelling estimation, using three waves of sample data collected in years 2014, 2016 and 2018 from organizations operating in the private sector.FindingsThe study finds that although HPWS positively influences all three HR flexibility dimensions, this positive effect is not transferred equally to organizational performance. The dominant effect on organizational performance is attributed to skills malleability, a smaller effect to behavioural flexibility and a negligible effect to functional flexibility.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the data collected refer to three different years, most of the companies and individuals responded to sampling were different. As such, the study does not allow for dynamic causal inferences due to its quasi-longitudinal nature.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study may influence managerial decisions in developing bundles of HPWS policies and practices in relation to HR flexibility attributes.Originality/valueSince most studies consider HR flexibility as an aggregated construct, this study is possibly one of the very few studies that is examining the differential impact of the HR flexibility dimensions on organizational performance in turbulent times.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiou-Shiu Lin ◽  
Ran Xiao ◽  
Pei-Chi Huang ◽  
Liang-Chih Huang

PurposeDrawing on signaling theory, the purpose of this study is to explore how high-performance work systems (HPWS) interact with leader–member exchange (LMX) to predict employees' proactive behavior and job engagement. Moreover, the present study also proposes the mediating role of job engagement in the interactive effects of HPWS and LMX quality on proactive behavior.Design/methodology/approachThe data of this study include 228 customer-contact employees and 44 store managers from chain store enterprises in the service sector in Taiwan. The proposed models were tested with hierarchical linear modeling and Monte Carlo simulation.FindingsThe results show a significant interactive effect of HPWS and LMX on job engagement and proactive behavior. In addition, job engagement serves as a vital mechanism linking the interactive effect of HPWS and LMX quality on proactive behavior.Originality/valueThis study uses signaling theory to unpack the question when and how HPWS can be more influential on employees' proactive behavior. In particular, the positive effect of HPWS on proactive behavior is more prominent only when employees enjoy high LMX quality with their respective line managers. In addition, the interactive effects of HPWS and LMX quality on proactive behavior are mediated by job engagement. The findings provide valuable theoretical and managerial contribution by integrating HRM and leadership research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aulia Vidya Almadana ◽  
Suharnomo Suharnomo ◽  
Mirwan Surya Perdhana

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationships between high-performance work systems (HPWS) on knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) among Indonesian employees through the mediating role of feeling trusted (FT) and moderating role of generational differences (GD). Design/methodology/approach Sample were collected from 278 employees working in the Indonesian financial companies. This research used structural equation modeling to investigate the associations of HPWS and KSB. Furthermore, Sobel Test was applicated to test the mediation effect of FT. Finally, Hayes PROCESS was used to test the moderation impact of GD. Findings The empirical results revealed that HPWS positively impact FT and KSB. Hereafter, FT also positively impacts KSB and then succeeds to mediate the relationships between HPWS and KSB. Finally, GD were failed to moderate the relationships between HPWS and KSB. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the few studies that illustrate the roles of GD between the relationships between HPWS and KSB.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21
Author(s):  
Manjiri Kunte ◽  
Parisa Rungruang

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesized relationships between job demands, job resources and personal resources toward work engagement, by utilizing a cross section of Thai employees.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, a group of employees (n=416) responded to a set of self-report surveys on job demands, job resources, personal resources and work engagement.FindingsThe results of the hierarchical regression analysis supported the relationships between job demands (i.e. workload and role conflict), job resources, personal resources (self-efficacy) and work engagement. In addition, the results supported the role of (positive) self-esteem as moderator in the role ambiguity and work engagement relationship, and the role of self-efficacy in buffering the effect of role conflict and workload on work engagement. The final model explained 43 percent of the variance in the dependent variable.Research limitations/implicationsThis study will help managers in understanding employee expectations and providing appropriate feedback. Devising effective jobs, which lead to perceptions of meaningfulness, safety and availability leading to improved engagement.Originality/valueThis is the first study employing the job demands resources model in a cross-sectional study in Thailand.


2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (8) ◽  
pp. 1441-1457
Author(s):  
Jia Zheng ◽  
Hefu Liu ◽  
Jingmei Zhou

PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on open innovation and the moderating role of information technology (IT) capability on the relationship between HPWS and open innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted a questionnaire survey in the industrial parks of the Yangzi River Delta in China and obtained 108 useful responses.FindingsHPWS positively impacts open innovation. IT exploration capability strengthens the relationship between HPWS and open innovation, whereas IT exploitation capability and ambidexterity do not strengthen such relationship.Research limitations/implicationsFirms should use HPWS to improve employees' motivation of external learning and searching for enhancing innovation openness. They should acknowledge the enabling role of IT exploration capability in facilitating employees' learning and searching toward open innovation and discreetly develop IT exploitation capability and ambidexterity during external knowledge searching, which may not achieve the desired facilitation purpose.Originality/valueThis study contributes to human resource management (HRM) by suggesting that a new antecedent, which is HPWS in our case, should be taken into account when considering the influence of HRM in the process of open innovation. This study has important implications for HPWS, IT capability and open innovation; open innovation can be improved by using HPWS and IT capability. This study also expands IT ambidexterity to HRM and innovation studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farrukh ◽  
Mohammad Saud Khan ◽  
Ali Raza ◽  
Imran Ahmed Shahzad

Purpose In the past, a plethora of studies has investigated the organizational and individual outcomes of high-performance work systems (HPWS). However, less is known about the mechanism through which HPWS impacts employees’ behavior, particularly intrapreneurial behavior (IB). Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study aims to fill this gap by investigating the mediation effect of perceived organizational support (POS) on HPWS-IB linkages. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected with the help of structured questionnaires from employees working in service industries such as banking and insurance. Findings HPWS was conceptualized as a higher-order measurement model that includes four lower-order dimensions, namely, information sharing, decision-making participation, job security, training and development. Partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results showed a positive and significant effect of HPWS on IB. Moreover, POS significantly mediated the HPWS-IB link. Originality/value Despite an increasing number of studies on the role of human resource management (HRM) practices in enhancing innovation and creativity, there has not been enough research on how HPWS affects IB at the individual level in the presence of POS. Thus, this research is the first of its kind to investigate the mediating role of POS in HPWS-IB linkages in the Malaysian context.


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