IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/rug/rugwps/12-783.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

First-line Implementation of High-Performance Work Systems: Effects on Work Unit Human Capital, Empowerment, and Performance

Author

Listed:
  • N. SOENS
  • D. BUYENS
  • M. S. TAYLOR

Abstract

This study examines whether and how implementation of high-performance work systems (HPWS) by first-line managers relates to work unit performance. We hypothesized and tested a positive relationship between first-line managers’ implementation of HPWS and work unit performance, and we investigated cognitive (work unit human capital) and motivational (work unit empowerment) mechanisms through which this relationship occurs. Data were obtained from 135 employees of 62 Belgian branches of an employment agency and 10 middle managers overseeing these branches. Results revealed that first-line implementation of HPWS was positively related to work unit productivity and work unit customer service. Also, the relationship between first-line implementation of HPWS and work unit productivity was mediated by work unit human capital. These findings contribute to both theory and practice by providing an evidence-base of the proclaimed importance of first-line managers in establishing effective HPWS.

Suggested Citation

  • N. Soens & D. Buyens & M. S. Taylor, 2012. "First-line Implementation of High-Performance Work Systems: Effects on Work Unit Human Capital, Empowerment, and Performance," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 12/783, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    • Handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:12/783
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://wps-feb.ugent.be/Papers/wp_12_783.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. den Hartog, D.N. & Boselie, J.P.P.E.F. & Paauwe, J., 2004. "Performance Management: A model and research agenda," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2004-068-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    2. Jody Hoffer Gittell & Rob Seidner & Julian Wimbush, 2010. "A Relational Model of How High-Performance Work Systems Work," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 490-506, April.
    3. Mark A. Youndt & Mohan Subramaniam & Scott A. Snell, 2004. "Intellectual Capital Profiles: An Examination of Investments and Returns," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 335-361, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xueqing Fan & Yan Liu & Xi Zou, 2018. "Where there is light, there is dark: a dual process model of high-performance work systems in the eyes of employees," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Chuang, Chih-Hsun & Chen, Shyh-jer & Chuang, Ching-Wen, 2013. "Human resource management practices and organizational social capital: The role of industrial characteristics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(5), pages 678-687.
    3. Meijerink, Jeroen & Bondarouk, Tanya, 2018. "Uncovering configurations of HRM service provider intellectual capital and worker human capital for creating high HRM service value using fsQCA," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 31-45.
    4. Hazhir Rahmandad & Nelson Repenning, 2016. "Capability erosion dynamics," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 649-672, April.
    5. Atif Bilal & Wisal Ahmad, 2019. "Impact of Team Goal Orientation and Information Exchange on Creativity and Innovation in Advertising Creative Teams of Pakistan," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 11(1), pages 145-160, March.
    6. von den Driesch, Till & Eva Susanne da Costa, Maika & Christina Flatten, Tessa & Brettel, Malte, 2015. "How CEO experience, personality, and network affect firms' dynamic capabilities," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 245-256.
    7. Kaifeng Jiang & Riki Takeuchi & David P. Lepak, 2013. "Where do We Go From Here? New Perspectives on the Black Box in Strategic Human Resource Management Research," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(8), pages 1448-1480, December.
    8. Hasan M. Aleassa, 2014. "Performance Appraisal Satisfaction and Counterproductive Behaviors: Direct and Moderating Effects," International Journal of Business Administration, International Journal of Business Administration, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(1), pages 76-89, January.
    9. Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez & Luis Enrique Valdez-Juárez & José Luis Lizcano-Álvarez, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Intellectual Capital: Sources of Competitiveness and Legitimacy in Organizations’ Management Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-29, October.
    10. Elena Dinu & Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu & Roxana-Maria Stăneiu & Mihaela Rusu, 2023. "An Exploratory Study Linking Intellectual Capital and Technology Management towards Innovative Performance in KIBS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-21, January.
    11. Kjell Mårtensson & Karin Westerberg, 2016. "Corporate Environmental Strategies Towards Sustainable Development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 1-9, January.
    12. Muhammad Asif & Arif Jameel & Noman Sahito & Jinsoo Hwang & Abid Hussain & Faiza Manzoor, 2019. "Can Leadership Enhance Patient Satisfaction? Assessing the Role of Administrative and Medical Quality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, September.
    13. Najah Attig & Sean Cleary, 2014. "Organizational Capital and Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity: The Effect of Management Quality Practices," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 43(3), pages 473-504, September.
    14. Mitra Madanchian & Hamed Taherdoost, 2017. "Role of Leadership in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)," Post-Print hal-02557381, HAL.
    15. Les Worrall & Kim Mather & Roger Seifert, 2010. "Solving the Labour Problem Among Professional Workers in the UK Public Sector: Organisation Change and Performance Management," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 117-137, June.
    16. Baik, Kibok & Kim, Kyoung Yong & Patel, Pankaj C., 2019. "The internal ecosystem of high performance work system and employee service-providing capability: A contingency approach for servitizing firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 402-410.
    17. Chaojie Liu & Timothy Bartram & Sandra G. Leggat, 2020. "Link of Patient Care Outcome to Occupational Differences in Response to Human Resource Management: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study on Hospital Doctors and Nurses in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, June.
    18. Paola Rovelli & Vincenzo Butticè, 2020. "On the organizational design of entrepreneurial ventures: the configurations of the entrepreneurial team," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 47(2), pages 243-269, June.
    19. Ho, Mia Hsiao-Wen & Wang, Fatima, 2015. "Unpacking knowledge transfer and learning paradoxes in international strategic alliances: Contextual differences matter," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 287-297.
    20. Stephen Frenkel & Karin Sanders & Tim Bednall, 2013. "Employee perceptions of management relations as influences on job satisfaction and quit intentions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 7-29, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Strategic human resource management; high-performance work systems; implementation; first-line managers; performance;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:12/783. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Nathalie Verhaeghe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ferugbe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.