High‐involvement human resource practices and their impact on organizational ambidexterity: The mediating role of employees' ambidextrous behaviors

Abstract

AbstractMany studies have shown that HR practices have a positive impact on organizational ambidexterity; however, few have examined both employees' motivation for ambidexterity together with their ability to achieve it, and even fewer have concentrated on organizations in the nonprofit sector. Drawing on the ability‐motivation‐opportunity framework, this study examines employees' ambidextrous behaviors as mediator between high‐involvement HR practices and organizational ambidexterity. It addresses the lack of in‐depth insights by examining ambidexterity at both the individual and the firm level, and addresses the lack of focus on nonprofit organizations by undertaking the study in a leading nonprofit hospital in Egypt. Based on a sample of 130 healthcare personnel, the results show that a “bundle” of high‐involvement HR practices is positively related to organizational ambidexterity, and that employees' ambidextrous behaviors mediate the relationship between high‐involvement HR practices and organizational ambidexterity. The results also highlight the value of high‐involvement HR practices in encouraging employees' ambidextrous behavior through staffing, teamwork, and workgroup training, thus helping the organization to achieve ambidexterity.