Why do high-performance human resource practices matter for team creativity? The mediating role of collective efficacy and knowledge sharing

Abstract

Drawing on the ability-motivation-opportunity framework, we develop a multilevel model examining the relationship between high-performance human resource practices and team creativity. Based on an input-process-output perspective, we hypothesize that both ability-enhancing human resource practices and motivation-enhancing practices affect team creativity via team efficacy, while motivation-enhancing practices and opportunity-enhancing practices affect team creativity via knowledge sharing. We verify our hypotheses using data collected from 16 Chinese companies involving 80 work teams. The results show that team efficacy mediates the relationship between ability-enhancing practices and team creativity, and knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between motivation-enhancing practices and team creativity. Theoretical and practical implications for human resource management practices and team creativity are discussed.