Exploring the role of human resource practices in organisational empowerment in developing countries: evidence from the power industry in Iran

Abstract

In human resource management (HRM) system, there are many factors that can affect organisational empowerment. Human resource practices are some of these important factors, which were mainly studied at individual level and were rarely explored at the organisational level. Focusing on power industry in Iran, the current study sought to develop and test an organisational empowerment model based on human resource practices. A mixed methods approach was utilised, including a grounded theory study that was followed by a quantitative phase. The qualitative phase was conducted to develop an organisational empowerment model based on human resource practices. The hypotheses developed in the qualitative phase were tested through quantitative phase, including structural equation modelling. The results revealed that views and attitudes towards human resources as causal factors had significant effects on human resource practices; and human resource practices, contextual factors, as well as intervening variables had significant impacts on organisational empowerment strategies.