High performance work system and intrapreneurial behavior: the role of relational psychological contract, self-efficacy and boundaryless career orientation

Abstract

Purpose. The current study investigates the impact of high-performance work system (HPWS) on intrapreneurial behavior (IPB) with mediating effects of self-efficacy and relational psychological contract. In addition, boundaryless career orientation is expected to moderate the relationship between HPWS and IPB. Design. Employees were asked to indicate the extent to which they understood and experienced each HR practice within their firms. The final list of HPWS consists of 13 practices detailed in Appendix 1. The Employee Intrapreneurship Scale (EIS) consists of eight items, measuring two dimensions of IPB, namely strategic renewal behavior and venture behavior. Quantitative research design was applied with data collected from 283 employees using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings. The results confirmed the direct impact of HPWS on IPB as well as the indirect impacts of both relational psychological contract and self-efficacy. Mobility Preference moderated the above relationship while Boundaryless Mindset did not. Theoretical implications. This research confirms the relationship between HPWS and IPB and the mechanisms through which HPWS influences IPB. Practical implications. Building a long-term trust-based relationship between employees and the firm is vital in fostering IPB. Value of results. This study explores the role of general self-efficacy and relational psychological contract as mediators of the link between HPWS and IPB. In addition, it introduces boundaryless career orientation as a moderator of the HPWS-IPB linkage.