High Commitment Work Systems Research Articles

The impact of high-commitment work systems on organizational identification

This paper investigates the impact of a high-commitment work system on Chinese employees' organizational identification. It constructed a theoretical model with perceived insider status as a mediator and a climate for inclusion as a moderator, which was then empirically tested. In this study, an empirical examination was conducted using a sample of in-service employees from 13 companies within China. A quantitative research methodology was employed through a questionnaire survey, and a total of 750 valid sample data points were collected for hypothesis testing using data analysis. The research results indicate that (1) high-commitment work system positively influences employees' organizational identification; (2) high-commitment work system has a positive impact on employees' perceived insider status; (3) employees' perceived insider status positively affects their organizational identification; (4) perceived insider status partially mediates the impact of a high-commitment work system on organizational identification; (5) climate of inclusivity can augment the positive influence of a high-commitment work system on organizational identification. (6) climate of inclusivity can also enhance the positive impact of perceived insider status on organizational identification. High-commitment work systems not only have a direct positive impact on employees' organizational identification but can also indirectly enhance it by elevating employees' internalized identity levels. In addition, an inclusive environment can enhance the positive impact of both high-commitment work systems and internalized identity on organizational identification individually. The findings can broaden empirical research in the context of Chinese culture, facilitating a better understanding of the relationship between high-commitment work systems and organizational identification. It extends empirical research on both aspects within the Chinese context. Moreover, optimizing work design and fostering an inclusive team atmosphere can elevate employees' identification with the organization, offering more insights to business leaders.

The impacts of a high commitment work system on well-being: the mediating role of organization support and employee work-life balance

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effect of a high commitment work system (HCWS) on employee well-being and the mediating role of organizational support and work–life balance.Design/methodology/approachUsing structural equation modeling (SEM) for analysis, a quantitative approach was adopted to collect data from the 235 employees from the public sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).FindingsResults show that HCWSs have a significant influence on organizational support and employee work–life balance. Therefore, there is a significant positive effect on employee well-being. The consequence of HCWS on well-being is not mediated by organizational support. Organization and work–life balance do not support the idea of reducing the negative effects of high-commitment work systems on well-being. There is a significant influence of work–life balance on employee behaviors to have well-being.Originality/valueManagers can devise a strategy to involve the employees to join participating in decision-making. The research advances knowledge of how HCWS improves employee well-being and emphasizes the significance of organizational support in the environment of public organizations. Organizations are expecting to develop new strategies that help employees engage with their environment and increase their confidence. In this perspective, the present study has identified a crucial key factor of HCWS affecting of organization support and employee work–life balance, which can help propelling employees well-being. The research expands the knowledge of the organizational and cultural elements that influence employee behavior and performance in this setting by evaluating the effects of HCWS on employee well-being in the UAE.

High-commitment work systems, organizational psychological ownership, and unethical pro-organizational behavior: a nonlinear mediation model

High-commitment work systems, organizational psychological ownership, and unethical pro-organizational behavior: a nonlinear mediation model

Personal disposition as the source of variability in the hrm-performance relationship: the moderating effects of conscientiousness on the relationship between high-commitment work system and employee outcome

Despite a growing interest in examining why and how variability within organizations develops throughout HR implementation, attempts hitherto appear futile. We evaluate that it is attributed to the with-organization level HRM research, overly skewed towards delineating the mediating processes. It is, as we argue, imperative to directly capture the sources and consequences of the discrepancy in the HRM–performance relationship to enrich our understanding of the phenomena and, more importantly, intervene more strategically in practice. To that end, we investigate how employee conscientiousness systematically changes the relationship between workgroup-level HR practices and employee affective commitment, subsequently conducive to task performance. Our analyses of time-lagged, multilevel data demonstrated that the indirect HRM–commitment–performance link turns significant only when the level of conscientiousness is factored in. Further, we found that motivation-enhancing HR practices are more effective for those low on conscientiousness, whereas high-conscientious individuals perform better under the influence of opportunity-enhancing HR practices. In our sample, the ability-enhancing HR bundle did not work together with conscientiousness either way. The current study is indeed a meaningful pursuit as one of the early attempts to draw a more nuanced picture of idiosyncratic employee responses.

How Do Firms Achieve Successful Technology Commercialization? Evidence From Chinese Manufacturing Firms

Organizational capabilities, such as technological capabilities and marketing capabilities are key determinants of the success of technology commercialization (TC). However, literature has rarely explored how firms combine and balance these two potentially interrelated yet competing capabilities in pursuing successful TC. Adopting insights from the ambidexterity perspective, this article examines the tensions and interplay between technological capabilities and marketing capabilities, and conceptualizes the simultaneous pursuit of both capabilities as <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">capability ambidexterity</i> . We propose that, having a balancing capability (properly matching technological capabilities and marketing capabilities to avoid conflicts), a combining capability (effectively utilizing both capabilities), and simultaneously applying the balancing capability and the combining capability positively affect TC success. We also identify human resource-based conditions (high-commitment work systems) as a contingency under which the balancing capability and the combining capability are more likely to promote TC success. We report results from a sample of 262 Chinese manufacturing firms (based on a total of 524 respondents) that provide general support for the proposed model. Our results contribute to a better understanding of capability-based explanations of TC.

How does high-commitment work systems stimulate employees' creative behavior? A multilevel moderated mediation model.

How to effectively stimulate employees’ creative behavior is a hot topic in the field of organizational behavior. Based on conservation of resources theory and substitutes for leadership theory, this paper discusses the impact of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior and the roles of employees’ wellbeing and CEO inclusive leadership. By constructing a cross-level structural equation model and analyzing the paired data of 86 CEOs, 86 HR managers and 489 employees, the results show that: (1) high-commitment work systems have positive impact on employees’ creative behavior; (2) employee’s wellbeing mediates the process of high-commitment work systems driving employees’ creative behavior; and (3) CEO inclusive leadership negatively moderates the relationship between high-commitment work systems and employees’ wellbeing, and further negatively moderates the indirect effect of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior through employees’ wellbeing, that is, the lower the level of CEO inclusive leadership is, the stronger the impact of high-commitment work systems on employees’ creative behavior through employees’ wellbeing will be.

Promoting Organizational Ambidexterity Through High-commitment Work Systems: The Roles of Social Capital and Innovative Culture

Promoting Organizational Ambidexterity Through High-commitment Work Systems: The Roles of Social Capital and Innovative Culture

High Commitment Work System and Employee Proactive Behavior: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficiency and Career Development Prospect

At present, proactive behavior has become a major concern in the field of organizational behavior. Drawing from the proactive motivation theory, this article proposes the influence of a high commitment work system (HCWS) on employees’ proactive behavior and constructs the mediation model, including self-efficacy and career development prospect. Moreover, conformity values as a micro context factor are used to illustrate the process that affects employees’ proactive behavior. Analyzing the matched data from 117 enterprises and 1,055 employees, this article finds that HCWS are positively related to employees’ proactive behavior. This article also finds that self-efficacy and career development prospect are mediated by the relationship between HCWS and employees’ proactive behavior. Conformity value moderates the positive relationship between self-efficacy and employees’ proactive behavior, but it does not moderate the positive relationship between career development prospect and employees’ proactive behavior. This study sheds light on whether and how line managers’ leadership influences the human resource management (HRM) process.

Demystifying the non-linear effect of high commitment work systems (HCWS) on firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation: An extended resource-based view

Drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV), this paper attempts to test the proactive role of high commitment work systems (HCWS) in affecting firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation, and the moderating effect of technological opportunity (TO). Multi-sourced survey data from Chinese firms in high-tech and manufacturing industries are used to test the hypotheses. The results show that HCWS have an inverted U-shaped relationship with firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation, and TO positively moderates such a non-linear relationship. By further decomposing TO into science-based (SBTO) and market-based (MBTO), the findings suggest that SBTO positively moderates the non-linear relationship between HCWS and firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation, while MBTO only positively moderate the linear relationship between them. These findings enrich the understanding of how HCWS affect firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation by highlighting the double-edged sword roles of HCWS, as well as TO's asymmetrically moderating effect, respectively.

The Effect of Supportive Organizational Climate on Employee Turnover Intention: A Cross-Level Analysis

Employee turnover affects the stable development of enterprise. It is not only an urgent problem that leaders need to think about, but also a research topic that management scholars and economists focus on. Turnover intention can well predict the turnover behavior of employee. Therefore, this paper investigates 50 enterprises and 305 employees in China and uses a cross-level regression model to test the mechanism between supportive organizational climate and employee turnover intention based on the organizational support theory. The results show that the supportive organizational climate can significantly reduce employee turnover intention, and job embedding plays a cross-level partial mediating role, and high commitment work system plays a cross-level moderating role between them. The research suggests that in the Chinese context, managers should not only devote themselves to creating a fine organizational climate for employee, but also actively implement high commitment work system to meet the spiritual needs and material needs of employee, thus reducing their turnover intention and promoting the long-term and stable development of the enterprise.

Research on the Relationship Between High-Commitment Work Systems and Employees' Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: The Moderating Role of Balanced Reciprocity Beliefs.

Based on the social exchange theory, this paper explores the indirect impact of high-commitment work systems on employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior. Through the analysis of multisource data from 139 companies (including 139 human resource managers and 966 employees), a multilevel structuring equation model is used to verify the study’s hypotheses. The research results show the following findings: (1) High-commitment work systems are significantly positively related to employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior. (2) High-commitment work systems have indirect effects on the employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior through the relational psychological contract. The relational psychological contract plays a mediating role in this process. (3) Employees’ balanced reciprocity beliefs significantly enhance the positive effect of relational psychological contracts on employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior. It can also positively moderate the mediating effect of high-commitment work systems that affect employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior via relational psychological contract.

High commitment work systems and employee well‐being: The roles of workplace friendship and task interdependence

AbstractHuman resource (HR) practices are potent in shaping workplace social relationships, which play a crucial role in employees' well‐being. While the role of formal relationships (i.e., relationships based on prescribed work roles) has received relatively more research attention, little is known about the nexus between HR practices, informal relationships at work and employee well‐being. Drawing on social interdependence theory, we conducted two studies to investigate how high commitment work systems (HCWS) affect employee well‐being through workplace friendship, beyond the effects of formal interpersonal relationships. In Study 1, using time‐lagged data from a sample of 253 full‐time employees, we found that workplace friendship, a type of informal relationship at work, mediated the relationship between HCWS and employee well‐being. In addition, task interdependence strengthened the relationship between HCWS and workplace friendship as well as the indirect effect of HCWS on employee well‐being. In Study 2, we replicated these findings and extended them to multiple forms of well‐being using multilevel data collected at three time points from 310 employees in 61 organizations. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings as well as future research directions are discussed.

Preliminary development and validation of the perceived strengths-based human resource system scale

PurposeThe purpose of the current article was to propose the strengths-based human resource (HR) system construct as well as develop and validate the perceived strengths-based HR system scale by using three independent studies.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 mainly adopted exploratory factor analysis to test whether fifteen items proposed by the authors can represent the perceived strengths-based HR system construct. The aim of Study 2 was to examine the discriminant validity and criteria validity of the fifteen-item perceived strengths-based HR system scale and reliability of this scale. By structural equation modeling analysis, Study 3 primarily tested the incremental predictive validity of the perceived strengths-based HR system for employee performance (i.e. task performance and innovative behavior) after controlling for the perceived high-performance work system (HPWS) and perceived high-commitment work system (HCWS).FindingsStudy 1 showed that initial fifteen items of the perceived strengths-based HR system appropriately are loaded on one factor and exhibit a good reliability. Study 2 found that there is good discriminant validity between the perceived strengths-based HR system, perceived organizational support, perceived supervisory career support, and work engagement, and the perceived strengths-based HR system exhibits better convergent validity and criteria validity. Study 3 demonstrated that the perceived strengths-based HR system could significantly predict employee performance (i.e. task performance and innovative behavior) even after controlling for perceived HPWS and HCWS.Originality/valueThe current article contributes to advancing HR theory and research and provides a valuable tool for future empirical research on the strengths-based HR system.

Do high-commitment work systems engage employees? Mediating role of psychological capital

PurposeAlthough managers and academicians have recognised the importance of high-commitment work systems (HCWS), work engagement and psychological capital (PsyCap) in service firms, many questions remain unanswered. This study aims to fill the gaps in the area of work engagement by considering the relationships among HCWS, PsyCap and work engagement. In this cross-sectional study, the author drew on the social exchange theory to analyse these relationships.Design/methodology/approachCross-sectional data from 309 employees from India’s services sector was collected to investigate HCWS and work engagement associations. The data were analysed by structural equation modelling.FindingsThe study findings integrate the existing literature on human resource (HR) systems and positive psychology by identifying the critical role of PsyCap in passing the positive effects of HCWS to engage employees in their work. Further, it supports the assumption that PsyCap is formed primarily based on organisational practices, thereby addressing the paucity of research that examined the antecedents of PsyCap.Practical implicationsOwing to study findings, service firms are encouraged to carry out human resource development intervention(s) to make their employees psychologically capable. Since PsyCap is a state-like construct, it can be developed among individuals. Thus, managers can develop their employees’ PsyCap through various training interventions.Originality/valueThe mediating role of PsyCap in the HCWS and work engagement in India’s service industries settings was tested. The present study’s findings contribute to the theory of strategic human resource management by explaining how HCWS can help employees engage better in their work.

The employer’s commitment: Conceptualization, development, and validation of a scale

This research aimed to achieve two sequential objectives: (1) to provide conceptual support for the idea of organizational commitment toward employees (the employer’s commitment), showing differences in concepts such as perceived organizational support, high commitment work systems, human resource (HR) philosophy, and psychological contracts, and (2) to develop a scale to measure employer’s commitment. To define the construct, we extrapolated the three-component model (TCM) dimensions (affective, continuance, and normative) from the individual to the organizational levels. To develop the new scale, we first used the Delphi method to determine the items in the questionnaire. Second, to verify the validity and reliability of the new scale, data collected from two sample populations (financial and hospitality sectors) were examined. The results suggest that the three dimensions of TCM in the final construct are independent and autonomous. JEL CLASSIFICATION: M12

Countering uncertainty: high-commitment work systems, performance, burnout and wellbeing in Malaysia

This study examines the effect of high-commitment work systems on firm performance, employee burnout and wellbeing, and the mediating role of organisation support and employee effort in Malaysia. Through a survey of 215 employees working in manufacturing firms, the results show that high-commitment work systems have a significant positive direct impact on firm performance and a significant negative effect on employee burnout, yet no significant positive effect on employee wellbeing. Organisation support partially mediates the effect of high-commitment work systems on burnout. Both employee effort and organisation support fully mediate the effect of high-commitment work systems on wellbeing. The paper contributes to an understanding of how high-commitment work systems increase performance and highlights the centrality of organisation support in the context of low-skill, highly intense production work.

The influence of high-commitment work system on work well-being: the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the moderating role of leader trust

PurposeWe draw on the conservation of resources theory to explore when and how a high-commitment work system (HCWS) improves employees' work well-being.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 64 branches in a high-tech company, involving 64 supervisors and 434 employees to examine the influence of branch-level HCWS on employees' work well-being at individual level.FindingsConsistent with our predictions, the results indicate that a well-designed human resource management (HRM) system (i.e. HCWS) helps to enhance employees' work well-being. Psychological empowerment is seen as an important mechanism linking HCWS with work well-being. The effects of HCWS on psychological empowerment and work well-being are significantly positive only when leader trust in employees is high.Originality/valueThis study indicates a novel resource theoretical perspective regarding the HRM system-employee well-being relationship. It provides insights into how contextual resources (HCWS) enhance employees' work well-being by potentiating the effect of personal resources (psychological empowerment). Just as the old saying goes, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” the leader trust serves as a critical valve.

The Influence of High-Commitment Work Systems on Work Well-Being

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we examine the relationship between a high-commitment work system (HCWS) and work well-being by exploring the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the moderating role of leader trust in this relationship. We test the theoretical model using data from 64 companies, involving 64 supervisors and 434 employees. Consistent with our predictions, the results indicate that HCWS is positively related to work well-being and that psychological empowerment partially mediates this relationship. A leader’s trust in subordinates moderates the impact of HCWS on psychological empowerment and also the indirect effect of HCWS on work well-being through psychological empowerment. These findings contribute to scholars’ understanding of how and when organizational management practices affect employee well-being.

High Commitment Work System and Turnover Intentions: Role of Workload as a Mediator

Turnover of employees is a big challenge for nearly every organization. Whereas, HR related policies and practices have huge impact on turnover intentions (TI) of employees in many contexts as such policies impact the attachment of the employees with the organization by enhancing their organizational commitment levels and thus leading to a considerable attention towards high commitment work-system (HCWS). The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between HCWS and TI of employees, with the role of workload as a mediator between HCWS and TI of employees. This study is a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional and quantitative where survey approach was used by focusing on employees, selected through convenience sampling approach, in banking sector (both public and private sector banks in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Correlation, OLS regression analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and KMO and Bartlett’s tests were used for data analysis purposes. Results show the significant positive relationship between the HCWS and TI of employees, while the role of workload as a mediator variable between the HCWS and TI of employees was also confirmed. This study is important one as it extends the understanding through contributing to the literature related to employees’ TI and HCWS in the context of banking sector of Pakistan. Future study should focus on other study setting with longitudinal approach.

High commitment work system and firm performance: impact of psychological capital and environmental uncertainty

Our study of a northern China sample of CEOs, middle managers and frontline employees matched across 114 firms investigates the relationship between a high commitment work system and firm performance from an organizational perspective by considering the mediating role of collective psychological capital (PsyCap) and the moderating role of environmental uncertainty. The effect of a high commitment work system on firm performance was fully mediated by collective PsyCap, while environmental uncertainty moderated the effect of collective PsyCap on firm performance such that firm performance was stronger when environmental uncertainty was higher. We contribute to the developing body of work using collective PsyCap as a mediator for the high commitment work system–performance relationship at the organizational level. Our selection of environmental uncertainty as a moderator responds to the call for research on potential moderators and more consideration of context. We discuss our study's managerial implications and limitations.