Human Resource Management Bundles Research Articles

The perspective of managers on integrating HR practices to increase organizational performance in SME firms: An analysis of the interaction effect

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to clarify the human resource management (HRM) literature in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by empirically identifying possible combinations of HRM practices from the perspective of managers, and analyzing the relationships among them and with organizational performance in order to identify which combinations are most effective.Design/Methodology/Approach: Using the AMO (Ability- Motivation-Opportunity) framework, we ask whether there are significant interactions between AMO-based HRM bundles and, if so, to what degree and by what means they influence organizational performance. To explore this question, we tested a theoretical model using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) techniques and compared the interaction and main effects. The research sample comprises SMEs operating in the Basque Region of Spain.Findings: The study confirms the existence of hierarchies among bundles. The practices most strongly related to the SMEs’ performance lie in the bundle of motivation-enhancing practices. The results indicate that motivation-enhancing practices have a positive effect on organizational performance and when they are combined with ability-enhancing practices this effect grows.Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional nature of the data means that it is not possible to establish clear causal relationships among the variables studied. It would therefore be beneficial in the future to use longitudinal designs and examine cause-effect over time, as well as use samples from other geographic locations.Practical Implications: High-performance HRM practices in the three Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) dimensions should not automatically be assumed to be complementary in an SME context, as many managers believe. Our results suggest that managers would be well advised to adopt motivational practices, combining them with training, to improve SMEs’ performance.Originality / value: This is one of the few studies to focus on testing the interaction effects among dimensions of Ability-Motivation-Opportunity-enhancing-practices on SMEs’ organizational performance, as observed by managers. It will encourage SME managers to consider more carefully the possible combinations of AMO dimensions and to focus on those combinations most likely to have positive effects.

Soft HRM bundles: a potential toolkit for future crisis management

Purpose The purpose of this paper spans twofold. Firstly, to investigate Human Resource Management practices (HRMP) adopted by organisations during the pandemic. Secondly, to bundle similar HRMP into Human Resource Management (HRM) bundles that provided unhindered organisational support to employees during the crisis. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted 39 in-depth interviews across industries using a semi-structured interview schedule. Thereafter, the authors transcribed the interviews verbatim and analysed them thematically using MAXQDA 2021. Findings The study identifies effective practices during times of uncertainty and how soft HRM practices helped organisations survive during a crisis. When bundled together, these practices enabled organisations to continue operations during the pandemic, keeping their employees engaged and motivated. Practical implications Based on the learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic, the study provides a toolkit of HRMP bundles that organisations can adopt for future crisis management, enhancing the organisations’ absorptive capacity. Originality/value The study investigates the practices incorporated during COVID-19, leading to the identification of soft HRM bundles. The study adds value to the existing domain of HRM by including a unique set of soft HRMP bundles that have not been discussed in earlier studies and could be of high utility to organisations during the crisis.

A classification of human resource management bundles for the inclusion of vulnerable workers.

Despite the societal importance to improve understanding of the role of employers in the inclusion of workers with a distance to the labor market, scant knowledge is available on the effectiveness of human resource management (HRM) bundles for the inclusion of vulnerable workers. This paper studies which HRM bundles are applied by employers that hired people with a distance to the labor market, and to what extent these different bundles of HRM practices are related to employment of workers with specific vulnerabilities, such as people with disabilities or people with a migration background. A latent class analysis of 1,665 inclusive employers was used to identify HRM bundles based on seven HRM practices: financial support practices, specialized recruitment, promotion and career opportunities, training opportunities, part-time work, job crafting, and adaptations to the workplace. Six bundles were identified: a recruitment and development bundle (34.4% of employers), a development bundle (24.8%), maintenance-focused practices (16.5%), a recruitment bundle (9.4%), a sustainable employment bundle (8.9%), and passive HRM (6.0%). Post-hoc analyses showed the probability of hiring specific vulnerable groups for each bundle (e.g., sustainable employment bundles showed the highest overall probability to hire people with a physical disability). Nuancing what is suggested in strategic HRM literature, we conclude that both extensive HRM and focused HRM bundles can be successful for the employment of vulnerable workers. In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to inclusive employment and employers, large or small, can tailor their HRM systems to include vulnerable workers.

The differential effects of human resource management on organizational innovation: a meta-analytic examination

PurposeThis meta-analytical review aims to clarify the relationships between three bundles of human resource management (HRM) practices—competency-enhancing, motivation-enhancing and opportunity-enhancing—and organizational innovation by addressing two questions: (a) Which types of HRM bundles are most strongly related to different forms of innovation (i.e. process and product innovation)? And (b) Which mechanism provides a stronger explanation for the positive effects of HRM bundles on innovation?Design/methodology/approachBased on data from 103 studies, a meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively summarize existing HRM–innovation studies at the organizational level.FindingsThe results showed that the competency-enhancing bundle was more positively related to product innovation than the motivation-enhancing and opportunity-enhancing bundles. The opportunity-enhancing bundle was most strongly associated with process innovation. The authors further found that knowledge management capability (KMC) and employee motivation mediated the positive relationship between the three HRM bundles and innovation outcomes. In comparing the two mechanisms, this review suggests that KMC better explains both the impact of the competency-enhancing HRM bundle on product innovation and the effect of the opportunity-enhancing bundle on process innovation.Originality/valueBased on behavioral and knowledge management perspectives, this study takes a sub-bundle approach to providing an integrative review by comparing the direct effects and mediating paths of HRM bundles on product and process innovation.

HRM Practices in Sustainability Reports of the World’s Most Sustainable Corporations

This study investigates the bundles of sustainable human resource management (HRM) practices the most sustainable companies report having, the goals of those bundles, and how HR-related goals are measured. Drawing on ability–motivation–opportunity (AMO) and sustainable HRM theory, we predict that bundles of HRM practices are more important than single HRM practices in sustainable HRM. The sustainability reports of the most sustainable companies (N=40) indicate that the bundles of sustainable HRM practices target health and well-being, employee development, employee engagement, and diversity and inclusion. All the main goals include multiple different metrics, which aim for sustainability in HRM. Our findings also show that sustainability reporting regarding HRM is relatively homogeneous. The findings offer important contributions to research on the sustainable reporting practices of the world’s largest companies by focusing more deeply on HRM aspects in reporting and HRM bundles targeting sustainable goals.

Green Human Resource Management and Sustainable Performance With the Mediating Role of Green Innovation: A Perspective of New Technological Era

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between green human resource management bundle practices and green innovation and their impact on sustainability performance as measured by the Triple Bottom Lines (i.e., environmental, social, and economic performance). It is decided to use a quantitative approach in order to collect data from 335 small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through a customized survey. Structure equation modeling was applied through smart PLS to analyze the collected data. Results show that green human resource management bundle practices have a positive and significant impact on the sustainable performance of SMEs. Furthermore, results indicate that green innovation has a significant impact on sustainable performance and green innovation partially mediates the relationship between green human resource practices and sustainable performance of SMEs. This study demonstrates that the implementation of GI by firms can be enhanced through the use of GHRM, which, in turn, would enhance the firms’ sustainability. Additionally, this study both confirms and enhances the traditional understanding. The study also depicts that environmental management practices in the human resource and innovation sectors can result in greater sustainability.

Employees striving for innovation in social enterprises: The roles of social mission and commitment‐based human resource management

AbstractSocial enterprises, promising organizations for solving societal problems with innovative approaches, rely upon their members’ active roles for workplace innovation. However, we still have a limited understanding about how social enterprises can foster employees’ endeavors for innovation. By focusing on employee learning and innovative behavior, we investigate the influences of perceived social mission, value congruence, and human resource management (HRM) practices in social enterprises. We conducted two complementary studies to answer our research questions. In Study 1, with a survey of 369 employees from 68 social enterprises, we examined a multilevel moderated mediation model with firm‐level and individual‐level data. We found that perceived social mission promoted learning and innovative behavior by increasing value congruence, and that commitment‐based HRM practices enhanced the overall process from mission to employee efforts for innovation. In Study 2, with 300 daily surveys from 60 employees participating in an experience sampling study, we found that those with high‐value congruence showed a significantly more stable pattern with less variance in innovative behavior than in learning behavior. Our study adds novel implications to the underdeveloped literature on employee innovation and HRM in social enterprises by uncovering the positive effects of social mission and value facets for boosting learning and innovative behaviors. Our research also suggests that social enterprises should benefit from pursuing and emphasizing the social mission and commitment‐based HRM bundle together, which will promote the prosperity and well‐being of business and society.

The implementation of green human resource management bundles across firms in pursuit of environmental sustainability goals

AbstractThis paper aims to examine the green human resource management (GHRM) bundles successfully implemented by firms across industries in response to the national institutional and cultural contexts toward the pursuit of environmental sustainability goals. Based on a cross‐case analysis of five firms across industries in Thailand, the empirical evidence draws on semistructured interviews with various stakeholders, field visits, and a review of archival documents and web‐based reports and resources. This paper proposes that GHRM bundles successfully implemented by firms in response to the institutional and cultural contexts include the following: green recruitment and selection in terms of green employer branding; green training in terms of awareness enhancement, on‐the‐job training, job shadowing, coaching, mentoring, and workplace climate building; green pay and rewards in terms of financial and nonfinancial rewards; and green employee relations in terms of a paternalistic leadership style and workplace climate. Specifically, firms develop green employer branding and implement the practices of awareness enhancement, on‐the‐job training, job shadowing, coaching, mentoring, and workplace climate building in response to deficiencies in the national education and skill formation system in terms of skill shortages. Additionally, firms offer both financial and nonfinancial rewards and create a paternalistic leadership style and workplace climate in response to a cultural context that favors in‐group collectivism, conflict avoidance, and passivity among workers within the workplace.

Age-Related Human Resource Management Policies and Practices: Antecedents, Outcomes, and Conceptualizations

AbstractDue to the demographic change in age, societies, firms, and individuals struggle with the need to postpone retirement while keeping up motivation, performance, and health throughout employees’ working life. Organizations, and specifically the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices they design and implement, take a central role in this process. Being influenced by macro-level trends such as new legislation, organizational HRM practices affect outcomes such as productivity and employability both at the firm and individual level of analysis. This editorial introduces the Special Issue on “Age-related Human Resource Management Policies and Practices” by conducting an interdisciplinary literature review. We offer an organizing framework that spans the macro-, meso-, and individual level and discusses major antecedents, boundary conditions, and outcomes of age-related HRM practices. Further, we propose a typology of HRM practices and discuss the role of individual HRM dimensions versus bundles of HRM practices in dealing with an aging and more age-diverse workforce. Building on these considerations, we introduce the eight articles included in this special issue. Finally, taking stock of our review and the new studies presented here, we deduct some recommendations for future research in the field of age-related HRM.

Battling COVID-19 with human resource management bundling

PurposeThis paper aims to present an empirically driven crisis management framework of complementary human resource management (HRM) bundles that can be utilized in simultaneously managing the health crisis, financial crisis and disruptions to business operations through lockdown and other government restrictions propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe framework is developed employing qualitative methodology, drawing from the successful HRM practices adopted by 26 Sri Lankan companies in battling the many crises of COVID-19 and using the soft HRM approach as the theoretical basis.FindingsThe findings report a framework that consists of three key HRM bundles (health and safety bundle, cost-saving bundle and employee motivation and engagement bundle) entailing an array of inter-related, internally consistent, complementary and mutually reinforcing HRM practices and HRM activities. These HRM bundles and the HRM practices as well as the HRM activities therein, indicate how a softer approach to managing employees can be used during a crisis.Practical implicationsThe framework will inform the HRPs of the HRM bundles, HRM practices and HRM activities that can be used to manage the multiple crises created by COVID-19 and other similar pandemics.Originality/valueThe study contributes to and expands the knowledge of HRM in crisis management generally and HRM in a global pandemic more specifically.

Lean management and operational performance in health care

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of lean management (LM) on operational performance (OP) in the context of health care in Jordanian private hospitals. LM is measured using four bundles: total quality management (TQM), human resource management (HRM), just-in-time system (JIT) and total productive maintenance (TPM). The study also investigates the effects of OP dimensions on hospitals’ business performance (BP).Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on survey data collected from 260 respondents from 25 private hospitals in Jordan. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS and Amos, and the study hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe study found that the TQM bundle affects quality performance positively, but does not affect efficiency and accessibility performances, while the HRM bundle positively affects all OP dimensions. Furthermore, the JIT bundle positively contributes to both efficiency and accessibility performances, while the TPM bundle positively influences quality and accessibility performances. Moreover, the results have demonstrated that OP dimensions of quality and accessibility significantly and positively affect hospitals’ BP.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to adapt the four lean bundles popularized in the manufacturing sector and apply them in a health-care context. It examines the effects of the four lean bundles on hospitals’ OP in terms of efficiency, quality and accessibility. In addition, the study demonstrates the role of OP dimensions in improving private hospitals’ BP.

Human resource management systems, employee well‐being, and firm performance from the mutual gains and critical perspectives: The well‐being paradox

AbstractIn this study, we explored the additive, interactive, and nonlinear relationships among human resource management (HRM) systems, employee well‐being, and firm performance. Based on a sample of 14,384 employees nested within 1,347 firms, we obtained three main findings. First, HRM systems yield a performance effect that exceeds the effect of single practice, suggesting positive synergies among HRM practices. Second, the opportunity bundle has a positive impact on firm performance, but when integrating it with skills and motivation bundles, the result becomes negative, indicating dis‐synergy of interactions among HRM bundles. Third, at moderate levels of adoption, HRM practices are positively correlated with employee well‐being and higher levels of commitment, job satisfaction, and management relations, as well as lower levels of anxiety. However, at high levels, the relationship is less positive and even turns negative with lower levels of job satisfaction and management relations. To close, we present research implications and future directions after discussing our results.

Linking Green Human Resource Management Bundle to Environmental Performance in Malaysia’s Hotel Industry:The Mediating Role of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Towards Environment

Recently, many businesses are transforming themselves from a conventional financial perspective to a competency based; strategic perspective. Sustainability is one of the main strategy aspects of present corporate world. Environmental issues have already been widespread as one of the main components of the business sustainability. Hence, numerous organizations in most of the industries are implementing a proactive and strategic environmental performance programs to gain competitive advantage such as green human resource management (GHRM). However, investment in GHRM practices will have not only a direct effect on environmental performance, but also an indirect effect through several mediating variables because of the nature underlying the green HRM practices concept. Studies in GHRM literature has paid scarce attention to the identification of preceding organizational capabilities that could inspire the adoption of environmental performance programs. Grounded by hotel industry in Malaysia as the hotel industry is one of the sectors which largely contribute to the environmental issues. This study utilized a research model to determine how the GHRM bundle through organizational citizenship behaviour towards environment (OCBE) will help to enhance the environmental performance in Malaysia’s hotel industry

Exploring the impact of perceived AMO framework on constructive and destructive deviance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of perceived abilities-motivation-opportunity (AMO framework) enhancing human resource management practices on destructive and constructive deviance through employee engagement.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 350 middle-level information technology employees. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the proposed hypotheses.FindingsResults revealed significant relationships between perceived AMO framework and destructive and constructive deviance, except for the relationship between perceived ability and destructive deviance. Furthermore, perceived AMO framework exhibited a significant positive relationship with employee engagement. Utilizing social exchange theory, results proposed partial mediation of employee engagement between perceived AMO framework and constructive and destructive deviance except for the relationship between perceived ability and destructive deviance, for which employee engagement exhibited full mediation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study implies that contemporary organizations must take initiatives to enhance employee engagement through the implementation of abilities, motivation and opportunities-enhancing human resource management (HRM) practices (AMO framework). Results of the study infer that motivation-enhancing HRM practices contribute highest in generating employee engagement followed by opportunity and abilities-enhancing HRM practices.Originality/valueThis study empirically investigates the impact of HRM bundles on both destructive and constructive deviance. Additionally, this study explores the underlying mechanism between HRM bundles and workplace deviance by assessing the mediating role of employee engagement.

Additive Effects of Performance- and Commitment-Oriented Human Resource Management Systems on Organizational Outcomes

Exploring the duality and balance research on human resource management (HRM), this study established two different HRM systems or bundles based on distinct guiding principles—the performance-oriented HRM system and the commitment-oriented HRM system. This study investigated whether the performance- and commitment-oriented HRM systems or bundles with different philosophical backgrounds have their own independent and additive effects on organizational outcomes. The relationships between these HRM systems and organizational outcomes were examined with 1735 firm-period samples in the longitudinal setting. The empirical results show that the commitment-oriented HRM systems have independent and additive effects on organizational commitment and human capital. However, the performance-oriented HRM systems have no independent and additive effect on organizational outcomes. Our study also indicates that increasing the performance-oriented HRM practices can be redundant and unnecessary unless firms have sufficiently high levels of the commitment-oriented HRM practices. Given that the definition and measures of commitment-oriented HRM bundles nearly match the characteristics of sustainable HRM, we thus argue that the commitment-oriented HRM systems have more potential to improve not only organizational outcomes and performance, but also human and social sustainability, than the performance-oriented HRM systems.

THE IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BUNDLES ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA

This study demonstrated the applicability of the ability-enhancing, motivation-enhancing and empowerment-enhancing (AME) human resource management bundles in a non-Western setting like Malaysia. It also demonstrated the direct and mediated impacts of the bundles. The two mediators in this study are human capital and perceived organization support (POS). The variables of age, tenure and years of education are included as control variables. This study has been carried out on 192 managers in eight Malaysian firms. Hypotheses testing using Hayes’ PROCESS macro showed that both empowerment-enhancing HRM and ability-enhancing HRM is related positively to human capital. Both empowerment-enhancing HRM and ability-enhancing HRM have direct effects on employee performance, however the former relationship is negative and the latter positive. Only empowerment-enhancing HRM has a mediated effect on employee performance through human capital. Human capital has a direct and positive impact with employee performance. Both motivation-enhancing and empowerment-enhancing HRM has direct and positive impacts on POS. Article visualizations:

The impact of green human resource management and green supply chain management practices on sustainable performance: An empirical study

This study aims at investigating the linkage between green human resource management bundle practices and green supply chain management (i.e. external and internal practices), as well as their impact on the Triple Bottom Lines of sustainability performance (i.e. environmental, social, and economic performance). A quantitative method is applied in which data is collected from a customized survey with 121 firms functioning in the most pollutant manufacturing sectors (i.e. food, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors) in Palestine. The data analysis was conducted using the partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results from data analysis show that both of green human resource management and green supply chain management practices have a positive effect to sustainable performance in a joint manner. In fact, the results revealed that green human resource management practices have a direct effect on the sustainable performance, with the green supply chain management practices mediating this effect. In particular, internal green supply chain management practices positively mediate between green human resources management practices and sustainable performance, whereas external green supply chain management practices mediate only the relationship between GHRM bundle practices and environmental dimension of sustainable performance, thus suggesting absence of awareness among manufacturers regarding the effectiveness of this type of GSCM practices for an improved economic and social dimensions of sustainable performance, and calling for more attention from green training programs. This study is considered as the first empirical study exploring the impact of green human resource management and green supply chain management on components of sustainable performance in Palestine, adding great value to the current green human resource management-green supply chain management literature via responding to recent calls to test the combined impact of both practices on TBL of sustainability performance. At the end, the theoretical and managerial implications, limitations of the current study and future research directions have been discussed.

Green Human Resource Management Bundle Practices and Manufacturing Organizations for Performance Optimization: a Conceptual Model

As growing amount of studies have focused on green human resources management (GHRM) practices that incorporate ecological thinking, these practices are expected to affect environmental impact of organizations. GHRM can help them achieve green corporate culture and enhance their performance. In this paper, GHRM practices as a bundle is taken into account instead of individual, which give numerous benefits to the organizations. This paper reviews the literature on the relationship between GHRM bundle practices and four dimensions of organization performance. This paper also proposes a conceptual model to exhibit the relationship between GHRM bundle practices and organization performance. Hence, manufacturing firms can identify an effective approach for applying GHRM practices that contribute to organizational performance.

Bridge Over an Aging Population: Examining Longitudinal Relations Among Human Resource Management, Social Support, and Employee Outcomes Among Bridge Workers.

This two-wave complete panel study aims to examine human resource management (HRM) bundles of practices in relation to social support [i.e., leader–member exchange (LMX), coworker exchange (CWX)] and employee outcomes (i.e., work engagement, employability, and health), within a context of workers aged 65+. Based upon the social exchange theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, it was hypothesized that HRM bundles at Time 1 would increase bridge workers' outcomes at Time 2, and that this relationship would be mediated by perceptions of LMX and CWX at Time 2. Using a longitudinal design, hypotheses were tested in a unique sample of Dutch bridge employees (N = 228). Results of several structural equation modeling analyses revealed no significant associations between HRM bundles, and social support, moreover, no significant associations were found in relation to employee outcomes. However, the results of the best-fitting final model revealed the importance of the impact of social support on employee (65+) outcomes over time.

How to retain motivated employees in their jobs?

This article examines the contribution of human resource management (HRM) and information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the retention of motivated employees. The author uses a representative random sample of private sector employees from Western Europe. The data set contains information on employees’ motivations, on-the-job search and workplace environment. The results show that HRM and ICT bundles are positively related to motivations. Being motivated for intrinsic and personal growth reasons decreases the likelihood to search while being motivated for rewards or compulsion reasons increases it. HRM strengthens the likelihood to search in the same way, while ICTs tend to increase the likelihood to search of all employees.