Competition, market commonality, and resource similarity: precursors to HPWS

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1830-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Ryan Prince

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect competition has on organizations’ use of high-performance work systems (HPWSs). Specifically, using the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, it develops a logic for why firms will increase their use of an HPWS when competition increases. It investigates the direct effect of competition on HPWS use. Additionally, it takes a look at the impact market commonality and resource similarity have on the influence of competition on organizations’ use of an HPWS. Design/methodology/approach Survey method design was used to collect data about organizations from 127 alumni of two large Midwestern universities in the USA. Data were analyzed using OLS regression analysis. Findings The main finding of this paper is that competition increases the use of HPWSs. There was not statistical support for the effect of market commonality or resource similarity to influence the competition–HPWS relationship. Originality/value This study uses the RBV of the firm to understand how competition influences the adoption of HPWSs. Additionally, it also investigated the effect of market commonality and resource similarity, which has not previously been looked at.

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-95
Author(s):  
Dushar Kamini Dayarathna ◽  
Peter John Dowling ◽  
Timothy Bartram

Purpose This paper aims to examine the implications of high performance work system (HPWS) strength from a managerial perspective and the impact of economic, cultural, political, legal and technological factors on the operationalization of HPWSs in the banking industry in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were collected from three licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka. This research used a case study approach for data collection with archival analysis of records and semi-structured interviews with the CEO, head of HR, two board members and three focus groups (top, middle and lower level managers across various functional areas) in each bank which altogether covers 66 key informants. Findings The findings supported the research proposition that to gain positive outcomes on organizational effectiveness, there should be a strong HPWS, resulting in a positive attitudinal climate among employees. Further, the findings provide evidence of the global applicability of HPWSs, although more research is needed to clearly specify the contextual boundaries of HPWS effectiveness. Originality/value Contemporary research provides ample evidence to endorse the contribution of high performance work systems toward organizational effectiveness. However, there is a dearth of literature on how high performance work systems are operationalized across the management hierarchy and support the achievement of organizational effectiveness. Few studies have been conducted on high performance work system strength and organizational effectiveness in emerging economies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 424-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ying Chang

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test a multilevel model, supported by an ambidexterity perspective, to examine the process linking high-performance work systems (HPWS) and organizational ambidexterity using both unit- and firm-level analyses. Design/methodology/approach – The author collected multisource and multilevel data from 346 employees and 184 managers of 33 electronic engineering firms. Findings – The results revealed that unit HPWS were positively related to unit organizational ambidexterity. The author considers that the role of firm-level transformational leadership (TFL) is to create a climate of autonomy that can be delegated to promote organizational ambidexterity within units. Furthermore, a firm-level empowerment climate moderates the effect of unit-level HPWS on a unit’s organizational ambidexterity. The author contributes to the research on leadership and ambidexterity by revealing the impact of HPWS as experienced in the unit- and of firm-level TFL. The author also identify boundary conditions for pursuing unit organizational ambidexterity. Originality/value – Responding to the call for more research into the effects of the empowerment climate on employees’ behaviors and the behavioral outcomes of employees, this research reveals that not only is the macro perspective of HPWS at the organizational level useful to promote ambidextrous activities at lower levels, but also that the unit experience of HPWS more directly affects employees’ behaviors in engaging in the search for new opportunities for new products/services and refining current products simultaneously at the unit level. The broader implication is that the effectiveness of HPWS as an antecedent for organizational ambidexterity (Gibson and Birkinshaw, 2004; Kang and Snell, 2009) depends on the unit experience of HPWS being used to influence autonomous employees to actively undertake ambidextrous activities at the unit level.


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.


Author(s):  
MOHSEN SHAHRIARI ◽  
MARYAM MAHMOUDI-MESINEH

Innovation strategy has become an important recent challenge in today’s competitive conditions of developing countries. In this paper, the impact of high-performance work systems (HPWSs) on innovation strategy of knowledge-based enterprises is examined, considering the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation. The statistical sample of study includes 180 managers and employees of Iranian knowledge-based companies. Data were collected using standard questionnaire, and the structural equation method was used for data analysis. The results showed that HPWSs have a positive and significant impact on innovation strategy of knowledge-based companies and about 75% of the total effect of the HPWS on innovation strategy is explained indirectly by the mediating variable of entrepreneurial orientation.


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 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-53
Author(s):  
Amanda Belarmino ◽  
Elizabeth A. Whalen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a charismatic political candidate on hotel revenue in the USA, particularly in their home states, through the lens of the bandwagon effect. Previous researchers have found that political primaries have a significant impact on hotel revenue due to travel to those states; however, there has yet to be an examination of the impact of popular political candidates on hotel revenue. Design/methodology/approach This research examined the impact of Bernie Sanders’ campaign on hotel revenue in the state Vermont due to the relatively stable demand experienced in that market. First, the researchers used forecasting methodology and t-tests to determine if there was a significant increase in hotel revenue during the time of the Sanders’ campaign for the state and for Burlington, Vermont, his campaign headquarters. Then, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with hoteliers in Vermont to determine if the Sanders’ campaign was responsible for the observed changes. Findings While the hotel revenue for the state was not significantly different than what would be expected, the hotel revenue in Burlington did see a significant increase. Hoteliers did attribute an increased awareness of the destination and some specific instances of travelers to Sanders’ campaign. Originality/value This is the first study to date to demonstrate the influence of a political candidate on hotel revenue and demonstrated that the bandwagon effect can impact hotel revenue. For hoteliers, it demonstrates that increased destination awareness can impact behavioral intentions on a small scale.


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.


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