Performance implications of the HR business partner model and the mediating role of internal efficiency: a comparison between Germany and the United Kingdom

Abstract

Ulrich’s framework of the human resource business partner model (HRBPM) suggests that both the strategic HRM roles (i.e. strategic partner and change agent) and operational HRM roles (i.e. administrative expert and employee champion) jointly add value to an organization. To deepen our understanding of the link between the HRBPM and organizational performance, this study jointly examines the influence of strategic and operational roles on organizational performance and introduces internal efficiency as a central mediating mechanism that explains how the HRBPM contributes to organizational success. In addition, we offer an institutional perspective on the HRBPM to improve our understanding of how the HRBPM is designed in different institutional contexts and whether the performance implications depend on the organization’s institutional environment. Based on data from 300 medium-sized and large organizations from Germany and the UK, we found a joint impact of the HRM roles on organizational performance, mediated by internal efficiency. We also found differences in the design of the HRBPM between the UK and Germany; however, we did not find a moderated mediation for the country comparison concerning the performance implications of the HRBPM. These findings improve our understanding of the success of the HRBPM in different institutional contexts.