Human Resource Management Research Articles

Exploring essential features for developing a human resource management mobile application: Insights from the middle east

This study aims to investigate the key features necessary for the development of a mobile application for human resource management (HRM). It addresses the shortage of empirical studies on digital HRM in the Middle East and emphasizes the increasing importance of HRM mobile applications in the region. The research utilizes qualitative research methods, including the Delphi method, in-depth interviews, literature review, historical analysis, and critical discussion.A qualitative research strategy is employed, analyzing data from 43 HR experts and mobile app development team members from international and local businesses in the UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain. NVivo software is used for data analysis, encompassing over 120 transcriptions, notes, and academic papers. The study identifies and explores the logical and practical features required for an HRM mobile app. It uncovers challenges related to the Delphi survey experiences, such as managing heterogeneous information and ensuring compatibility with iOS and Android platforms. This research fills a gap in the literature by investigating the digital HRM landscape and HRM mobile applications in the Middle East. It provides valuable insights from HR and technology experts, contributing to the advancement of digital HRM, mobile applications, and the application of the Delphi method methodology. The study highlights implications for industries to enhance HR operations and productivity through the adoption of mobile HR applications. Theoretical contributions include new insights into the digital HRM literature, specifically regarding the identification and discussion of essential features in HRM mobile applications. Practical implications involve the benefits of transitioning from traditional HRM to digitalized HRM in the professional era, as identified through the analyzed features of the HR app. The study offers practical insights for the development and implementation of mobile HR apps. Organizations can leverage these insights to create effective mobile HR apps that enhance HR operations and employee productivity.

Ethical Concerns Upon Artificial Intelligence Empowered Human Resource Management: A Qualitative Study among Middle-level Managers from Beijing Technology Companies

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) in organizational management has significantly enhanced operational efficiency. However, it has introduced ethical challenges in human resource management. Between January to March 2024, this study conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with middle-level managers from high-tech companies in Beijing. Through word frequency analysis, the study found that key topics among the managers were “company,” “data,” “system,” and “problem,” with “AI” frequently recurring in the discussions. Sentiment analysis revealed generally favorable attitudes toward AI in human resource management (AI-HRM), along with nuanced emotional expressions such as inquiry, introspection, recommendation, challenge, adaptation, resistance, and indifference. The sentiment distribution of keywords aligned with topic trends. Thematic analysis identified key ethical concerns in AI-HRM, including issues related to data collection and utilization, human versus machine decision-making, quantitative versus qualitative assessment methodologies, the balance between fairness and efficiency, the need for trustworthy, explainable, and transparent AI, and the oversight of AI-HRM. This study contributes to the ethical investigation of AI-HRM from the perspective of middle-level managers, highlighting themes that are critical for understanding the theory, application, and future development of AI-HRM.

Navigating global HR challenges and safeguarding long-term sustainability

This research delves into the dynamic shifts in human resource management strategies prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates the mediating influence of information technology (IT) challenges on the connection between pandemic-induced international human resource management (IHRM) practices and the competitiveness of multinational corporations (MNCs) in Malaysia with focusing on sustainable development. Through the analysis of data collected from 172 respondents via self-administered questionnaires in Malaysian MNCs across various sectors including education, general services, ICT, property, construction, and healthcare, the study employs partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the proposed hypotheses. The findings highlight the substantial impact of compensation and staffing practices on technology transfer challenges within MNCs. Furthermore, the study reveals that the implementation of remote work, particularly during and post-lockdowns, is associated with elevated compensation and enhances overall company competitiveness. These outcomes offer theoretical and practical insights, furnishing human resource managers, especially in multinational corporations, with valuable guidance for maintaining competitiveness amidst the disruptions of a pandemic and promoting sustainability in HR practices. By highlighting the potential benefits of working from home in terms of both IHRM outcomes and competitiveness, the study contributes to ongoing discussions about the future of work and the role of technology-enabled practices in driving organizational success and sustainable development.

Principal–Teacher Relationships Under the Pressure of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Factors and Implications for School Leadership During Crises

This paper aims to present the views of Greek school principals on whether and how working amid the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic affected principal–teacher relationships. It mainly focuses on the factors that contributed to the quality and course of these relationships. A qualitative methodology was adopted. Data were collected from 57 principals of public primary and secondary schools who answered the open-ended questions of an online questionnaire. Written answers were analyzed using the method of thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that, given the adverse working conditions, principal–teacher relationships were affected to varying degrees and in different ways in each school unit. For forty-seven percent of principals, the relationships remained unaffected; for forty percent, the relationships worsened; and for thirteen percent, they became stronger. It was found that teacher-related factors (attitude towards increased duties/obligations and ability to manage stress and fear), as well as work climate-related factors (communication and interaction, togetherness, and pre-existing work climate) contributed to the course of principal–teacher relations amid the pandemic. The findings provide practical and theoretical implications for school leadership and human resources management in a crisis context.

Leadership and psychological capital in enhancing the performance of child-friendly schools for chil-dren’s physical activities

Leadership styles and psychological capital play crucial roles in enhancing school performance. Integrating student leadership opportunities and physical activities into child-friendly school programs may improve overall school performance through various psychological factors. The research aims to know the effect of leadership and psychological capital on enhancing the performance of child-friendly schools for children’s physical activities. This research is descriptive quantitative, with the number of participants being 175 teachers selected using the purposive sampling technique. Data collection techniques use survey methods, while data collection instruments use questionnaires developed from several previous studies that are considered to have been tested for validity. Data analysis uses SEM-PLS technique with the SmartPLS 4 analysis tool to test the predictive relationship between each construct. The results showed that transformational leadership significantly influences the performance of Child-Friendly Schools, with a p-value of 0.006 <0.05. Psychological capital significantly influences performance with a p-value of 0.039<0.05. Student leadership does not moderate the relationship between psychological capital on performance with a value of 0.199>0.05, transformational leadership on performance with a value of 0.385>0.05, and workplace spirituality on performance with a value of 0.848>0.05. The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of the factors that influence the performance of Child-Friendly Schools, as well as practical implications for leadership development, human resource management, and educational staff development programs within Child-Friendly Schools.

Eco-Leadership in Action: Integrating Green HRM and the New Ecological Paradigm to Foster Organizational Commitment and Environmental Citizenship in the Hospitality Industry

The 21st century has spotlighted environmental sustainability in global discourse, urging businesses to act responsibly amidst climate change and resource depletion. This study explores the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in fostering the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) among employees, enhancing organizational commitment (OC), and promoting organizational citizenship behavior towards the environment (OCBE) within the hospitality industry. Findings demonstrate that GHRM practices, including green recruitment, training, and performance management, significantly improve environmental performance and employee engagement in sustainability initiatives. Data were collected from 382 employees working in 5-star hotels in South Korea, utilizing a structured online survey to gather insights into GHRM’s influence on NEP, OC, and OCBE. The analysis was conducted using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to rigorously test the hypothesized relationships among these constructs. However, integrating GHRM with NEP presents challenges, such as aligning organizational culture with eco-centric values and overcoming resistance to change. Motivated by the urgent need for sustainability, this research underscores the necessity for integrated HRM approaches to achieve sustainability. A key motivation behind this integration is to establish a workforce that not only understands but actively champions environmental stewardship, thereby strengthening the organization’s reputation and competitive advantage. Additionally, challenges such as balancing short-term operational costs with long-term environmental goals persist, requiring strategic commitment and effective resource allocation. Recommendations include embedding sustainability in HR policies, providing comprehensive environmental training, incentivizing green initiatives, establishing robust monitoring systems, and fostering cross-departmental collaboration to reduce the ecological footprint. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable business practices and highlights the strategic importance of eco-leadership.

A Study on Steps in Building Data Infrastructure for Data-Driven HR Practices in Modern Organizations (HR Analytics Perspective)

HR analytics is the process of gathering and analyzing HR data to yield useful insights, enhance decision-making, and energize the workplace with data accuracy. Working dimensions are changing every minute in the world with advanced insights into the work environment. As a part of the progression advanced technologies are adopted in organizations. New landscapes and horizons are made a pool of data as employees work 24/7, work from home, destination works, and various alternatives give rise to the use of the data. Now the data is new blood for the old organizations. So, in this parlance, the use of HR analytics is the need of the hour for HR Managers in developing organizations. A separate infrastructure is needed in the phase of modern organizations to become a rollercoaster in data-driven organizations. This paper focuses on the steps in creating data infrastructure for developing an infrastructure in modern organizations for data-driven HR practices.

Analysis of Employee Satisfaction in Non-Profit Organisations - Based on a Survey of an Association in Nanjing City

Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the gradual expansion of the non-profit organization team, its related needs in human resource management have become increasingly urgent. And the related research on human resource management in non-profit organizations has gradually attracted attention. However, compared with the more mature research on human resource management in for-profit organizations, there are relatively few studies on human resource management in non-profit organizations. This paper selects employee satisfaction as the starting point to study the human resource management of non-profit organizations. Employee satisfaction, as one of the dimensions for judging the human resource management level of non-profit organizations, can detect problems in the human resource management of the organization as early as possible and make corresponding improvements to meet the needs of employees and enhance their work enthusiasm. At the same time, employee satisfaction can also predict employees' mobility intentions and become an important reference for preventing brain drain in advance. This research is based on the relevant theory of job satisfaction, using a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews as research methods. Take an association in Nanjing as an example to conduct field research and analysis on employee satisfaction in non-profit organizations. In-depth analysis, using SPSS software to carry out descriptive statistical analysis on the data collected by the questionnaire survey and test the reliability and validity of the questionnaire results, found the shortcomings of human resource management in non-profit organizations. Through relevant theoretical analysis, taking into account the actual situation of the association, it puts forward corresponding improvement measures and suggestions for the human resource management of non-profit organizations.

ANALYSIS OF THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN THE MOTIVATION STRATEGIES OF THE ENTERPRISE

This article investigates the impact of contemporary technological innovations on corporate motivational strategies, focusing on the integration of digital tools, analytical systems, and mobile applications into employee motivation processes. The relevance of the topic is underscored by the rapid technological advancements that are transforming management practices and employee needs, as well as enhancing business competitiveness. The works of Ukrainian scientists and economists have been analyzed regarding various aspects of the impact of modern technologies on employee motivation, approaches to their implementation, and the practical results they provide for enterprises. The paper examines how technological innovations—particularly digital feedback platforms, analytical systems, mobile applications, and gamification—affect motivational strategies by enabling more personalized and effective motivation management. It explores how these tools contribute to increased employee productivity, reduced turnover, and improved organizational culture. Existing approaches and outcomes of new technology implementations are evaluated, highlighting the need for further research to develop adaptive and dynamic motivational systems. The article offers recommendations for optimizing employee motivation processes through modern digital tools and approaches. The findings are valuable for practitioners and researchers involved in human resource management and technological innovations in business. Attention is drawn to further research on the impact of technological innovations on employee turnover management and the adaptation of new hires. It is determined that assessing the effectiveness of new approaches to employee integration and motivational support during the first months of employment can help develop strategies that reduce turnover rates and increase the engagement of new employees. It is substantiated that the prospects for further research in this field focus on expanding the understanding of how technologies can not only support but also transform motivational strategies, providing businesses with new opportunities to achieve their goals and enhance competitiveness.

This Is an Eventful Era: Exploring Event-Oriented Approaches to Organizational Research

This special issue explores the transformative role of discrete events in fostering changes at different organizational levels, challenging traditional feature-oriented approaches that focus on stable attributes of individuals, groups, and organizations. Joining the growing body of event-oriented research in diverse settings, the nine published articles evoke a novel theoretical lens (i.e., Event System Theory) to examine a number of discrete events (e.g., everyday change events, organizational downsizing, merger, corporate scandal, technology implementation, the U.S.–China trade war, the Black Lives Matter movement). Their findings demonstrate the interesting ways discrete events disrupt routines, prompt adaptation, and impact individual and collective behaviors across various levels within organizations. Our further analysis underscores the importance of adopting an event-oriented perspective for a better understanding of management issues, offering new insights and directions for future research. We hope this special issue provides a robust foundation for integrating event-centric research approaches into organizational theory, emphasizing the need for continued empirical investigation and theoretical refinement in a variety of management research domains, such as strategic management, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, and human resource management.

Well-being of hospitality employees: A systematic literature review

The hospitality industry employees' well-being is relevant for practitioners and researchers alike. Academic interest in hospitality employee well-being (EWB) has been steadily rising. Yet, the unintended result has been a fragmentation of the field, with at least 42 different theories addressing issues of EWB in hospitality. This study adopts a systematic literature review approach to re-balance a fragmentation that can lead to myopia and assesses relevant literature on EWB in hospitality. The study identifies 122 articles in 19 relevant hospitality journals listed in Scopus utilising the PRISMA process and analyses them with the help of a framework derived from well-being reviews in corresponding fields, such as human resource management. The findings account for individual, group and organisational level stressors, resources and practices affecting EWB in hospitality, and they are subsequently related to the theoretical landscape in the field, suggesting future avenues for research.

The Impact of Supportive Leadership on Work Stress: An Empirical Research in the Ministry of Iraqi Interior

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to discover the effect of supportive leadership on work stress in the Ministry of Iraqi Interior / Human Resources Management to achieve a happy life for its employees and hence achieve the desired level of performance. Theoretical Framework: The current research deals with introducing the Ministry of Iraqi Interior / Human Resources Management to the latest developments in the administration field through supportive leadership style and work stress, as well as presenting the latest concepts, importance, and models that previous researchers have arrived at. It contributes to expanding the researched organization's awareness of adopting any of these models that are appropriate for their goals and future direction. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research analyses administrative data within the Ministry of Iraqi Interior / Human Resources Management (2023-2024), using the dimensions of supportive leadership (empowering employees, fairness of treatment, and inspirational motivation) and the dimensions of work stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, workload, and work nature). It will determine the factors affecting them. Findings: The findings of this current research have approved the key effect hypothesis (supportive leadership style and its dimensions have a significant and negative impact on work stress and its dimensions). Research Implications: The results most leaders of human resources in the under-study organization practice the dimension of fair treatment more than other dimensions (empowering employees, and inspirational motivation. Originality/Value: This research seeks to enhance awareness of the importance of the negative role of a supportive leadership style on work stress. This research has dropped the knowledge gap between them and uses a framework that is compatible and harmonious to save the lives of the employees and at the same time increase organizational performance.

Healthcare leadership practice and associated factors among primary healthcare managers in East Gojam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a mixed method study

BackgroundLeadership plays a critical role in the delivery of person centered, safe, efficient, and effective healthcare services globally. Poor healthcare leadership contributes to low staff motivation, patient dissatisfaction, and reduced healthcare-seeking behavior. However, there is limited evidence on healthcare leadership practice and associated factors among primary healthcare managers in the study area and at large in Ethiopia. Therefore, the findings of this study will contribute to improved healthcare leadership practices among primary healthcare managers.MethodFacility-based cross-sectional study supplemented with qualitative inquiry was conducted in the East Gojam zone among 532 primary healthcare managers selected by a two-stage stratified random sampling technique. A pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported into Stata version 14.0 for analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with healthcare leadership practice, and statistical significance was declared at a p-value < 0.05 with a 95% CI. Six key informant interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative study.ResultThe magnitude of healthcare leadership practice among primary healthcare managers in the East Gojam zone was 45.7% (95% CI: (41.4, 50.0)). Factors associated with healthcare leadership practice were age [β = 0.44, 95% CI: (0.16, 0.71)], training in healthcare leadership practice [β = 1.19, 95% CI: (0.19, 2.20)], experience sharing [β = 1.68, 95% CI: (0.59, 2.76)], organizational communication [β = 0.19, 95% CI: (0.05, 0.33)], managerial working experience [β = 0.94, 95% CI: (0.18, 1.69)] and emotional intelligence [β = 0.35, 95% CI: (0.31, 0.38)].Conclusion and recommendationThe magnitude of healthcare leadership practice among primary healthcare managers in the East Gojam zone was low as compared with a previous study in Ethiopia. It was significantly associated with age, training in leadership, experience sharing, organizational communication, managerial working experience, and emotional intelligence. Thus, human resource managers at primary healthcare level should consider older and more experienced candidates during assigning managers, organize training on healthcare leadership and experience sharing with model managers to improve the leadership practice of primary healthcare managers in the East Gojam zone.

TOGAF Utilization for Revolutionizing Enterprise Architecture at Labor Intensive Industry

Labor-intensive industries face challenges in optimizing information systems and technology. Disconnected business processes cause scattered data and poor application integration. A structured approach is required to design an enterprise architecture aligning business and IT strategies. This study explores TOGAF implementation in a labor-intensive business in Jakarta, focusing on creating a more efficient architecture. The research provides design recommendations, including human resource management portal enhancements. Using TOGAF and UML, the study successfully created an enterprise architecture addressing business, application, data, and technology needs, improving departmental integration, overall business performance, and service delivery. It effectively bridges IT and business strategies.

Interactive effects of sustainable HRM, career adaptability and career sustainability on employee well-being

PurposePast research has well-demonstrated the importance of sustainable human resource management practices in augmenting sustainability in careers of individuals and their overall growth and well-being. In this regard, role of career adaptability as a potential resource in harnessing sustainable HRM and career sustainability relationship requires attention. Considering this, the purpose of the current research is to analyze how sustainable HRM practices influence career sustainability, that eventually predicts employee well-being. Besides this, we also examined the role of career adaptability as a potential moderator in governing the linkage between sustainable HR practices and career sustainability.Design/methodology/approachOur study adopted a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through administration of survey among 620 working professionals. Analysis was conducted deploying statistical techniques such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm the factors, and the hypotheses were tested using model 4 and model 7 in PROCESS macro by SPSS 20.0.FindingsResults showed that in the Indian context, career sustainability acts as a potential mediator between the sustainable HRM practices and employee well-being relationship. In addition, we also found the significant moderating role of career adaptability in strengthening the impact of sustainable HRM practices on career sustainability among employees.Practical implicationsThe study offers potential implications for scholars and management practitioners in terms of implementing sustainable HRM practices emphasizing on good values at various levels in organizations. Also, it encourages organizational policymakers and leaders for conducting training programs and workshops on developing career adaptability resources.Originality/valueIt is among one of the few studies that help in advancing the scholarship on sustainable HRM and sustainable careers and their key role in strengthening individuals’ well-being. The findings also extend the application of conservation of resources theory at the intersection of sustainable HRM and vocational psychology literature in the South-east Asian context.

Implementation of Information System at SD Laboratorium UNG

This research aims to find out the implementation of the human resource information system at SD Laboratorium UNG. The purpose of the information system is to help organize all functional areas of human resource management efficiently. SD Laboratorium UNG is a school that has been accredited as superior. This mini-research was conducted using a qualitative approach and data collection techniques in the form of observation, interviews, and documentation, and data presentation was carried out using a descriptive approach, in the form of words, writing, or oral from the subjects observed, namely the principal and teachers. Based on the mini research that has been carried out, the results show that the implementation of the Human Resource Management System at SD Laboratorium UNG has been carried out, but it has not been carried out optimally, but the school has been able to utilize the development of information and communication technology for the progress of the school towards a better direction. The applications used at SD Laboratorium UNG are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Email, Zoom, Google Drive, WhatsApp, Ms.Word, Ms.Exel, and JunioSmart.

The Experiences and Views of Employees on Hybrid Ways of Working

The contemporary post-COVID-19 corporate environment of instant response and hybrid work settings motivates employees to learn to adjust their expectations. This new corporate working model incorporates flex locations and flex schedules by working at home 1–2 days per week and staying connected for non-urgent requests, even outside business hours. This work setting empowers employees to prioritize work accordingly and to accommodate the fluid schedules of their coworkers. As a result, this new hybrid workplace requires leaders and their teams to face new challenges in terms of communication, coordination, and team connection to remain effective. This research examines the experiences of employees in an SME that applied a hybrid work policy following the post-pandemic crisis, bringing additional complexity to their modern work system. This study investigates employees’ views on the changing work environment as important evidence for HR management to incorporate into future organizational practices. To understand the various principles at play and provide more granular results, this paper includes a business case study (N = 25) where semi-structured interviews were used to identify the views and concerns of employees regarding hybrid work settings. The scope of this case study was to collect empirical data regarding this new agile way of working while understanding participant thinking. The findings suggest that while there are clear benefits in terms of efficiency and flexibility in hybrid work settings, there are also challenges related to social interactions and non-verbal clues. This study enhances conceptual and empirical understanding and supports contemporary research on the future of work.

Role of workforce analytics in fulfillment experience of employees through work volition

Purpose Labor process theory explains that employers prefer technology and systems over employees for efficiency gains. However, the mechanisms explaining the influence of technology and systems on different work-related employee outcomes are still a question mark. The purpose of this study is to test a mediation mechanism explaining how workforce analytics influence the work fulfillment experience of employees through work volition. Design/methodology/approach This study collected dyadic data from 55 HR managers and 350 employees serving in 55 different subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Pakistan. Findings The statistical results demonstrate that workforce analytics negatively affect fulfillment at work. However, work volition may reduce the negative relationship between workforce analytics and fulfillment at work. This study also found a significant but negative relationship between work volition and fulfillment at work. Originality/value This study found that integrating the use of workforce analytics with the work volition of employees is critical for positive employee outcomes.

A Serious Game for the Digital Transformation of Organizations

To aid human resource management professionals design a configuration of human resource management practices that facilitates the employee behaviour needed for the digital transformation, a serious game was created. The serious game challenges human resource management professionals to combine and design human resource management practices that align to the organizational strategy and optimize employee digital transformation behaviour over multiple simulated years. In this paper, the underlying rationale, design, and outcomes of the first test rounds of the game are presented. Organizational change shaped by the diffusion of technology is labelled the digital transformation (Hanelt et al., 2021). Employees can accelerate or slow down the digital transformation. Hence, organizations are looking to facilitate digital transformation enhancing employee behaviours: adaptive performance and proactive agility behaviour (Collou and Bruinsma, 2022). Aligned human resource management configurations (i.e., combination of human resource management practices such as recruitment, selection, and job design) can shape that employee behaviour (Gratton and Truss, 2003; Delery and Doty, 1996). Designing such a human resource management configuration however is challenging. There are many human resource management practices that need to be designed over multiple years and effects on employee behaviour vary. Serious games are well suited tools to enhance understanding of challenges such as strategic human resource management design. They allow professionals to experiment with choices and gauge the outcomes of their selection without the need to test these decisions in real life. Prior work (Collou and Bruinsma, 2022, 2019) illustrated that a serious game can aid human resource management professionals in their quest to design human resource management configurations that align to the organizational strategy. In the current game an additional challenge was added: shaping digital transformation behaviour. Tested in multiple rounds the game shows great promise for professionals and students to experiment with human resource management configuration design. First evaluations illustrate that responders are positive in terms of their learning experience. Balancing the need to align the human resource management configuration and affecting the employee behaviour simultaneously has proven to be challenging for players of the game. Future steps are focused on this balance and empirically validating the serious game.

Innovation capabilities and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Indonesia

Orientation: Entrepreneurial orientation (EO), knowledge management (KM), human resource management (HRM) and knowledge sharing (KS) are important aspects in driving innovation capabilities (IC) to improve organisational performance (OP).Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to analyse the mediating effect of IC on individual EO, KM, HRM and KS and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) performance.Motivation for the study: The fluctuation in batik business performance can be attributed to a lack of studies that examine the dynamic capability perspective in the context of batik SMEs in developing countries.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative approach was used for this study. A structured self-administrative measuring instrument was employed to collect the data. A non-probability sample of 297 participants was obtained. The collected data were then analysed using SmartPLS3 software.Main findings: Innovation capabilities have been verified to significantly mediate the relationship between HRM and KS on OP. Innovation capabilities mediated the relationship between KS and OP in a negative direction, whereas previous studies indicate a positive direction.Practical/managerial implications: Entrepreneurial orientation has the most prominent role in OP in batik SMEs. An EO allows business actors to optimise their creativity and innovation to develop ideas, which helps maximise the growth of OP in SMEs.Contribution/value-add: This study’s results support the concept that EO develops various skills, from managing uncertainty to tolerating risk and forming strong entrepreneurial abilities to improve business performance.