Commitment-based HR systems and organizational outcomes in services

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of a set of commitment-based HR practices and explores their impact on three categories of organizational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - Cross-sectional study based on a survey. Multiple regression analysis was applied to test the hypotheses proposed. Findings - The results show that commitment-based HR practices make up a system that presents internal consistency and favours HR performance and operational outcomes, as well as contributing to financial outcomes through the mediator role of innovation. Research limitations/implications - The HR practices were measured based on the perception of only one informant per company, normally the manager. Practical implications - This study makes it possible to draw relevant conclusions in a sector (hotel industry) that lacks references about the role of a system of commitment-based HR practices in achieving organizational outcomes. The use of a sample of homogeneous firms provides managers with valuable and specific information about the sector that can foster the adoption of commitment-based HR practices by hotel firms. Originality/value - This paper contributes to better know how HR practices based on commitment foster employees’ willingness to engage in the strategic objectives established by the organization from the systems perspective. Furthermore the research contributes to the understanding of these practices in an important economic industry, such as it is the hospitality sector, in which research had traditionally placed little emphasis on this kind of analysis.