scholarly journals The Effects of Mutual Trustworthiness between Labour and Management in Adopting High Performance Work Systems

2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Yoon-Ho ◽  
Kim Dong-One ◽  
Mohammad A. Ali

In this study, we examine the role of mutual trustworthiness between labour representatives and management and its relationship with the adoption of High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) in the Korean employment relations context. We argue that trustworthiness is a feature of the parties to the exchange, as opposed to trust, which explains the nature of exchange relationships. We follow existing literature on trustworthiness and agree that it is composed of three variables, i.e., ability, integrity, and benevolence. We test the effects of these three variables as important antecedents for the adoption of HPWS at the workplace level. Using the National Establishment Survey 2009 conducted by Statistics Korea as a sample frame, we survey a representative sample of Korean establishments. These data consist of 1,353 paired responses from labour representatives and managers.Our results show that labour-management mutual ability trustworthiness (MAT) has a positive and significant relationship with the adoption of high performance work systems (Hypothesis 1); mutual benevolence trustworthiness (MBT) has a positive and significant relationship with the adoption of high performance work systems (Hypothesis 2); and mutual integrity trustworthiness (MIT) has a positive and significant relationship with the adoption of high performance work systems (Hypothesis 3). These results show that mutual trustworthiness in Korean employment relations is an important antecedent for the adoption of HPWS and can enable Korean industry to improve its position in the global economy. In the final analysis, it is implied that employment relations actors pursuing cooperative employment practices should ensure the development of a virtuous cycle of mutual trustworthiness.

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Chowhan ◽  
Isik U Zeytinoglu ◽  
Gordon B Cooke

2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1463-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Vicente Pascual Ivars ◽  
Jose Manuel Comeche Martínez

2012 ◽  
pp. 45-75
Author(s):  
Torre Edoardo Della

The debate about the effects of new work systems - the so-called High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) - in terms of improving economic performance and productivity of the enterprise is rich in contributions and a substantial convergence is recorded in saying that, in the presence of a well thought-out and properly implemented system, the effects are positive. More neglected and controversial are the effects that these practices have for the well-being of workers. Through a review of theoretical and empirical literature on the topic, this paper analyses the traditional opposition between supporters of the "empowerment view" and supporters of the "intensification view". The former consider the HPWS such as win-win solutions for enterprises and workers, while the latter believe that the HPWS are a managerial expedient that aims to intensify the pace of work and the efforts required to workers. The results show that both positions are sustainable and attach to internal tensions related to HPWS (i.e. control/ discretion, responsibility/stress, etc.) the uncertainty of the results found from the literature. This interpretation finds in the intermediate "sceptical view" the more careful position to adopt and suggests to pay greater attention to the measurement adopted to analyze these relationships and to the characteristics of the employees and of the context in which HPWS are introduced. Finally, some directions for the development of future researches in this area are drawn.


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.


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