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Purpose: This paper develops and tests a theoretical framework to explain the effect of guanxi human resource management (HRM), a unique Chinese cultural phenomenon, on employee innovative behavior. Design/methodology/approach: We draw from a sample of 398 employees in 81 teams and test the moderated mediation model using multi-level modeling. Findings: The results show that guanxi HRM can be perceived by employees as being simultaneously an unethical hindrance that stifles innovative behavior and a strategic challenge that is beneficial for innovative behavior. In addition, the results show that these indirect effects are contingent upon the strength of guanxi HRM. Originality/value: The study advances our understanding of the mechanism and boundary condition underlying the double-edged nature of guanxi HRM practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Based on resource-based and dynamic capabilities theorizing, this study explores how human resource analytics (HRA) can improve human resource management (HRM) performance and organizational performance, with creative problem-solving capability (CPSC) as an underlying mediator for creating value from HRA. It also explores how data quality and HRA personnel expertise act as moderators in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach: Hypotheses are tested in an empirical study including 191 firms using partial least square structural equation modeling technique. Findings: The findings confirm the direct and indirect effect of HRA use and maturity on HRM and organizational performance, as well as the mediating role of CPSC. HRA personnel expertise was found to moderate the relationship between HRA and CPSC, data quality being an important factor. Originality/value: The findings contribute to the sparse evidence of value creation from HRA use/maturity on HRM and organizational outcomes, providing a theoretical logic of resource-based view and dynamic capabilities view based on the underlying causal mechanism through which HRA creates value. The study identified complementary capabilities which when combined with HRA use/maturity and CPSC result in value creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to extend the traditional conceptualization of localization, which has largely focused on recruitment, by examining "employability" and "retention" as crucial determinants of localization success. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data from local (Emirati) employees in private sector organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the authors develop a holistic model of localization and test the relationships between stereotypes, organizational socialization, employability and retention outcomes, using Smart-PLS. Findings: Among the main findings are the significant influence of stereotypes on organizational socialization (OS) experiences of Emirati employees, with a negative relationship between "work ethics stereotypes" and perceptions of OS experiences. Strong evidence is also found for the indirect effects of OS experiences on retention of Emirati employees, mediated by employability. Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to the literature on localization by examining the relationships between key variables not examined together in previous research. In terms of limitations, the cross-sectional nature of the study prevents the identification of direction of causality among these relationships. Since employee integration, as part of localization efforts, is a gradual process, future research should include longitudinal studies. Practical implications: Employability has emerged as a significant challenge for organizations and governments working to implement successful localization initiatives. This study's findings highlight several opportunities for organizational and governmental policy interventions to support successful localization. Originality/value: The authors' holistic model extends localization literature by providing evidence for the role of stereotypes and employability as key constructs to be examined along with OS experiences and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The goal of this study is to explore the consequences of flexibility i-deals in work and non-work domains of employees. Design/methodology/approach: A matched supervisor–subordinate sample context drawn from a security organization in Chile (N = 3,624 subordinates matched with 107 supervisors) was used which is an unrepresented context in research on i-deals. Findings: Results from multi-level analyses reveal that the interaction of performance motivation of subordinates and flexibility i-deals matters to performance motivation of subordinates. In turn, performance motivation reduces turnover intentions and work–family conflict of subordinates. Research limitations/implications: The findings from multi-level structural equation modelling supported our hypotheses and offered interesting implications for the i-deals literature and practitioners. Our findings highlight (1) the importance of being performance driven to obtain flexibility i-deals and (2) the enabling role of performance-oriented supervisors. Practical implications: Flexibility i-deals act as mechanism that translate the impact of performance motivation on key work and non-work outcomes and can be considered as important HR tools for employees and managers. Originality/value: This research highlights the importance of performance motivation to obtain i-deals and emphasises that the motivation of supervisors is key to enable these deals. Furthermore, the context of this research, which is a security organisation, is important as research to date has been conducted in Western and corporate settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This work is an extension of research on worker participation in achieving career success by including a prominent contextual construct, that is social capital. The present research aims to study how competency development influences the intrinsic career success of females in the handicraft industry, by considering the role of perceived employability as a mediator and social capital as a moderator. By doing so, this paper aims to fill the vacuum in the career literature that suggests that career success is not gender neutral. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from handicraft workers by adopting the survey method. CFA and SPSS macro named PROCESS were used to analyse data. Findings: Competency development influences the subjective career success of female workers, and perceived employability mediated the relationship between them. Moreover, social capital independently moderates the relationship between the participation of workers in competency development and perceived employability. Research limitations/implications: The study is conducted in the Indian context alone, and therefore future studies must be conducted globally to deepen the scholarly dialogue on female workers' career success. Also, the current study measures career success, from a subjective perspective, thus future studies can measure female workers' objective career success. Practical implications: The current paper identifies the need to study the factors contributing to female workers' career success in small industries. Social implications: Conventional industries and their workers' career success must be given equal importance by researchers, practitioners and policymakers. Originality/value: The paper fills the gap in career research by exploring female workers' career success through empirical evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper identifies the stakeholders engaged in inclusive employability management for employees whose health at work is impaired and examines how different mechanisms can be used to engage these stakeholders. The paper aims to explore the link between stakeholder engagement and inclusive employability management. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study uses a qualitative approach to mobilise a case study in a French public organisation. Data collection combines four sources: 50 individual interviews, informal dialogues, 39 days of observations and 43 documents. Findings: The findings provide insights into the management of inclusive employability for vulnerable employees and reveal the multiplicity of stakeholders involved. Institutional, organisational and individual mechanisms are used to engage stakeholders in employability management for vulnerable employees. Furthermore, the implementation of inclusive structural and operational mechanisms promotes a policy that favours employability management. However, stakeholders are also faced with institutional, organisational and individual difficulties that limit their engagement. Practical implications: The findings have the potential to inform organisational stakeholders – human resources management (HRM) and managerial stakeholders in particular – of the support needed for employability management. The findings emphasise the value of ensuring that employability management policies and practices promote the full integration of vulnerable employees. Originality/value: The research fills an important gap in the HRM literature on managing employability for vulnerable employees. In doing so, the study makes a specific contribution to the literature on organisational inclusion with employability management. Our research contributes to extant knowledge of stakeholder engagement by including a bottom-up dimension to facilitate stakeholder engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Studies have explored perceptions of human resource management (HRM) system strength and how they can relate to employee-level outcomes. However, the authors understand little about the boundary conditions for such relationships. Here, the authors apply signaling theory to explain the relationship between HRM system strength and affective commitment as well as the role of an organization's communication climate and organizational collectivism. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an initial study among HR practitioners (N = 115) to determine their perception of HRM system strength, its outcomes and boundary conditions. The authors then conducted a second study to increase the reliability of our earlier findings by focusing on non-HR employees (N = 179). Findings: The findings in both studies indicate that employee perceptions of HRM system strength positively and significantly relate to affective commitment. Moreover, the results show support for the moderating roles of both communication climate and organizational collectivism. These findings are novel and extend the nomological network of employee perceived HRM system strength. Originality/value: These findings offer valuable practical insights regarding approaches to strengthen the relationship between HRM system strength and affective commitment. In particular, we offer practical recommendations pointing to the relevance of improving the communication climate as well as the sense of belonging within the organization (organizational collectivism). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the interplay between human resource management (HRM) and emergent factors in constructing a strong HRM climate. Specifically, the paper aims to shed light on how employee perceptions of the HRM process and emergent factors together construct a strong HRM climate, i.e. employees' shared perceptions of HRM. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses qualitative interview data (managers and employees) from two organisations operating in Finland. The data are analysed based on a systematic data analysis and gives an illustration of the interplay between high-performance work system and the emergent factors. Findings: The findings illustrate the three types of interplay between HPWS and emergent factors – supplementation, substitution and suffocation – that construct employee experience. Originality/value: The paper extends earlier discussions on the relationship between HRM and employee experience by empirically examining how the HRM process – together with emergent factors – constructs a strong HRM climate. The present study contributes to further theorising and increasing our understanding of the creation of employee experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Migrant workers often suffer from social exclusion in the workplace and therefore identify less with their organization and engage less with their work. To address this issue, the authors integrate research on migrant workers with research on the group engagement model to create a model for understanding and enhancing migrant worker engagement. This allows us to provide insight into how organizations can design their human resource management systems and practices to increase the work engagement of migrant workers. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a survey study with over 4,000 employees from more than 500 workplaces in Australia to test the model. Findings: The results of the multilevel analysis indicate that a procedurally fair work environment increases organizational identification, which in turn is associated with higher work engagement. The results also indicate that procedural justice climate is more important for migrant workers and increases their organizational identification and engagement. Originality/value: To increase work engagement of migrant workers, organizations can establish a procedurally fair work environment in which cultural minorities experience unbiased policies and procedures, are able to express their opinions and participate in decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to systematically synthesize the extant literature of knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT) in the small and medium enterprise (SME) context and to contribute with predictions of emerging themes. Design/methodology/approach: Applied is a systematic literature review using three bibliometric techniques: (1) textual analysis for keywords and abstracts to identify the research hotspots, (2) co-citation analysis of references to identify the evolution of KS and KT in SME and (3) bibliographic coupling analysis of documents to synthesize antecedents and outcomes. Findings: A conceptual map emerges from the review to reveal the antecedents of KS and KT at the individual, group and organizational levels. The analysis shows the strategic importance of KS and KT for the SME context. Specific findings include: (1) KS and KT are involved in enhancing SMEs strategic focus for human resources, including organizational learning, customer relations, creativity, higher profit and positive effects on operational processes and decision-making. (2) Innovation, trust and performance are identified as central human factors linked to KS and KT in SMEs. (3) Human resource (HR) management research could contribute to KS and KT in the SME domain by exploring KS- and KT-based practices, linking the emergence of innovation and innovative behaviors to these practices, leading to a better understanding of strategies that enable the long-term storage and retrieval of tacit and explicit knowledge as organizational memory in the SME context. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first to systematically review KS and KT in SMEs and propose a concept map. The research adds value to the growing literature of KS and KT and exposes the need for more specific activities to support SME managers, as well as HR managers, who need to facilitate KS and KT in SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to understand the adverse effects of customer mistreatment on employee performance and well-being by thwarting the satisfaction of employees' basic psychological needs. It also examines how these negative effects may be mitigated by empowerment human resource management (HRM) practices. Design/methodology/approach: Two studies were conducted using survey data collected in China. In Study 1, cross-sectional data from 321 telemarketing employees were analyzed to examine how customer mistreatment reduces the satisfaction of employees' basic psychological needs, harming job performance and job satisfaction. In Study 2, multiwave, multisource data were collected from 149 property agents and their supervisors to replicate the findings of Study 1 and further test empowerment HRM as a moderator of the relationship between customer mistreatment and satisfaction of needs. Findings: The results from both studies show that customer mistreatment leads to low job performance and job satisfaction via reduced satisfaction of employees' needs for autonomy and competence but not relatedness. Moreover, the negative effect on the satisfaction of employees' needs for autonomy and competence was buffered when organizations had high empowerment HRM practices in place. Originality/value: This study provides new insights on customer mistreatment by understanding its effects from a motivational perspective, which has not been considered in prior research. It also explores how HRM practices can help satisfy employee needs in adverse work environments induced by customer mistreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The ability to work anytime from anywhere is attractive to job seekers, who respond by developing needs regarding flexible working. Flexibility needs are compared to the flexibility perceived in job advertisements to form an overall perception of flexibility fit. The purpose of this paper is to examine both the impact of flexibility fit (on applicant attraction) and its antecedents. Design/methodology/approach: The impact of flexibility fit on applicant attraction and its antecedents are examined using person–job (PJ) fit theory. 92 job seekers analyzed a total of 391 job advertisements. The hypotheses are tested using multilevel structural equation modeling. Findings: The results show that perceived flexibility fit is positively related to job pursuit and job acceptance intentions. They further show that perceived flexibility fit is driven by perceived job advertisements' flexibility exceeding applicants' needed flexibility, which in turn is driven by the flexibility actually present in job advertisements exceeding applicants' flexibility needs. Originality/value: This study contributes to literature on new ways of working by highlighting the desirable nature of flexibility and its impact on fit perceptions. It further contributes to literature on job search and PJ fit by investigating a full model of fit, examining both outcomes and antecedents of perceived fit. For practitioners, this study highlights the importance of advertising flexibility to attract applicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a career-orientation and employability-focused model in the Indian context in order to understand: factors influencing employability of graduates factors influencing expected salary gain. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers adopted a quantitative method using a two-wave survey with a sample of MBA graduates from two prominent business schools in India. The total sample size for Wave I was 250, while for Wave II it was 161. The model was tested via hierarchical regression with MBA contribution as a moderator. Findings: Results indicate the relevance of protean career orientation (PCO) to reaching career outcomes such as employability, with MBA contribution as a moderator. Practical implications: The study provides a new perspective that would enhance graduates' employability. This makes it relevant for both individuals and higher education institutions as it will help both individuals and higher education institutions to attain competitiveness at the national level. Originality/value: The career theory was extended to the diverse socio-cultural and economic context of India, representing the BRICS economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to extend the current understanding of human resource management (HRM) challenges facing franchise businesses. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative investigation, including eight in-depth interviews and 66 semi-structured interviews with various franchise stakeholders as well as 42 participant observations, was conducted in North America to answer the research questions. Findings: Six major conclusions emerged from the conceptual and empirical work. The findings, for instance, reveal that human resources in franchise businesses lacks in motivation and skills, and franchisees' distance from the ideal mix of autonomy and risk-aversion determines psychological and financial distress in the system. Practical implications: The findings suggest that when firms choose the franchising path as a means of leapfrogging resource constraints, they will experience new and more challenging HRM complications for several reasons. Therefore, decision-makers at both franchisor and franchisee firms need to address these new HRM challenges proactively by recognizing their possibility and emergence and by engaging in cooperative learning with one another. Originality/value: While HRM practices can "make or break" franchise systems, some important research questions still remain unanswered in this context. In an attempt to narrow this gap, and using a qualitative approach, this work identifies and classifies the key HRM challenges facing the franchise industry. Based on the finding, a conceptual model is proposed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine a process through which perceived talent identification affects employee burnout. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were collected from 242 employees using a cross-sectional survey design. Findings: The findings supported the mediating role of work effort in the relationship between perceived talent identification and burnout. Furthermore, the results highlighted the moderating role of employee well-being attributions in the relationship between perceived talent identification and employee work effort. The moderated–mediated relationship for burnout was also supported. Research limitations/implications: Using insights from conservation of resources and attribution theories, this study not only examined the direct relationship between perceived talent identification and feelings of burnout but also provided insights into why perceived talent identification leads to different employee outcomes. Practical implications: Management should pay attention to the communication processes related to talent identification because employees' interpretation of the underlying motives of this identification impacts their well-being (i.e. feelings of burnout). Originality/value: This study examines employees' attributions in the context of talent management and demonstrates that these interpretations play an important role in shaping their behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of psychological contracts of international business travellers (IBTs), a new form of expatriate that has arisen from the growing need for alternative forms of internationally mobile talent. The research is conducted in Belgium, a country recognised as a global hub in which international assignments are essential to economic success. Design/methodology/approach: Research in respect of IBTs is limited and semi-structured interviews are used to explore Belgian employee perspectives. Findings: The contract is more relational in nature than might be expected with an idiosyncratic mix of relational and transactional obligations. Research limitations/implications: The research is small-scale and qualitative and not widely generalisable. Further it presents only employee perspectives. Nevertheless it generates rich insights into a phenomena about which little is known. Practical implications: The findings develop understanding of how to manage the valuable strategic resource that is the IBT. Originality/value: First, the research is of value to the International Human Resource Management field in developing understanding of a newly emerging form of international employee, the IBT. Second, it contributes to psychological contract research in both developing understanding the transactional/relational balance and in generating much-needed rich and nuanced qualitative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Employability has been suggested as an alternative to job security in response to more flexible work arrangements, arguing that the important question for employees is no longer the security of their current job, but their employment security in the labour market. The purpose of this paper is to test two core assumptions of this argument: first, is employability associated with a lower preference for job security? And second, are individuals with lower job security in fact compensated with higher employability? Both assumptions have received criticism in recent literature. The focus is on employees' perceived basic and aspiring employability. The former refers to employees' expectations of remaining in employment and the latter to expectations of upward mobility.Design/methodology/approach The data used in the analysis were nationally representative Norwegian survey data from 12,945 employees (2009–2013).Findings Employees with higher aspiring employability and education levels have a significantly lower preference for job security, but this is not the case for employees with higher basic employability. Additionally, while employees with lower job security have higher aspiring employability, they have lower basic employability and receive less employer-supported training.Originality/value The current paper is the first to investigate how employability relates to the employees' own preference for job security. In line with critics of the employability argument, the results support that job security continues to be an important protection mechanism. Moreover, employees with low job security lose out twice as employers also invest less in their training and future employability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of firm training on the job performance of mainly semi-skilled manufacturing employees in the context of changes required to ensure the competitiveness of contemporary Chinese manufacturing.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a survey with time-lagged method and from multiple sources. The sample included 348 supervisor-subordinate dyads from two Chinese manufacturing firms. PROCESS macro tool (Hayes) was used to test the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of HRM strength in the training-performance relationship.Findings Work engagement mediates the relationship between training and in-role task performance, while the relationships between work engagement and both task performance and organizational citizenship behavior are moderated by HRM strength.Research limitations/implications Based on a time-lagged survey, causal relationships cannot be drawn from this study. Results point to future research on the training-performance relationship that more closely considers antecedents and the organizations' internal and external contexts.Practical implications Managers should pay close attention to the context and process of training and learning from the employees' perspective. In addition, a strong HRM system will improve the benefits of training on employee performance.Originality/value This study provides theoretical explanations on the mechanisms linking training and employee performance based on the ability-motivation-opportunity framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Regardless of the noteworthy growth in research and practice associating corporate social responsibility (CSR) with human resource management, little has been written in regard to one major dimension of CSR in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as CSR policies and practices are directed toward employees. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a conceptual framework connecting socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) to competitive performance that fits small business.Design/methodology/approach In order to get empirical evidence, structural equation modeling technique was applied on the data from 481 Spanish SMEs.Findings Results confirm both the direct contribution of SRHRM to business competitiveness and the multiple effects resulting from including two variables of additional interest for the relationship under study: employee’s commitment and relational marketing.Practical implications One of the main research limitations is that the paper only reflects the perceptions of owners/managers of SMEs. Although it was believed that the respondents give reliable and accurate information about the way their firms are involved in CSR practices, there is a possibility that they might provide incorrect or incomplete information.Originality/value The relationships proposed have never been studied before in context of SMEs. This is a worthwhile endeavor, which makes an empirical contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relevance of authenticity as a possible attribute of employer attractiveness. Additionally, the study compares authenticity to other factors of attractiveness, such as economic, development, social, interest and application values.Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with a total of 937 respondents. The questionnaire consisted of the employer attractiveness scale developed by Berthon, Ewing, and Hah (2005) and an adapted version of the authentic living scale (Wood et al., 2008).Findings The results show that workplace authenticity is equally valued as an attractiveness attribute as having opportunities for economic and personal development, and that it is significantly more highly valued than other attractiveness dimensions of the work environment, such as interest value, social value, and application value. The results also show that authenticity matters more as an attribute of attractiveness for top management, older professionals as well as women.Practical implications The findings suggest that firms become more competitive in attracting talent if their recruitment strategies place more emphasis on authenticity as a psychological benefit that can be obtained through working in the company. The use of social media (e.g. employee testimonials, chats, and blogs) can help to this end.Originality/value The subject of workplace authenticity has been receiving increasing attention in the academic literature, and the studies reveal the benefits that it may entail for both developing and retaining a more engaged and productive workforce. However, previous research has not considered how perceptions of workplace authenticity may also help organizations become more attractive in the eyes of potential job applicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the development of a deeper understanding of the conceptual and empirical boundaries of talent management (TM) so that scholars and practitioners may enhance their knowledge of what TM actually is and how it is carried out.Design/methodology/approach A comparative study was conducted of the TM practices of 30 organizations based in Sweden. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 56 organizational representatives. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.Findings The findings comprise a typology consisting of four distinct TM types that exist in practice: a humanistic type, a competitive type, an elitist type and an entrepreneurial type. Descriptions are provided that probe into how specific practices are differently shaped in the different types.Research limitations/implications The study design enabled the generation of an empirically rich understanding of different TM types; however, it limited the authors’ ability to draw systematic conclusions on the realized outcomes of different types of TM.Practical implications The descriptions of different TM types give practitioners insight into how TM may be practiced in different ways and point to important decisions to be made when designing TM.Originality/value The paper addresses two main shortcomings identified in the academic literature on TM: conceptual ambiguity and the paucity of in-depth empirical research on how TM is carried out in actual organizational settings. The empirically derived typology constitutes an important step for further theory development in TM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the perception of skills shortages, namely, skills scarcity and skills deficiencies among managers, and its relationship with organizational characteristics.Design/methodology/approach The study used a quantitative approach and data were collected from 243 managers working in China. Multivariate analysis of variance and box plots were employed for data analysis.Findings The results revealed that organizational characteristics were found to have a significant positive impact on managers’ skill levels, and hard-to-fill vacancies caused by skills shortages were found in all types of organizations. Existing and deficient skills were also identified as affecting all organizations.Practical implications The results suggest that organizations would benefit from the adoption of a system supporting internal retention, training and development and external recruitment to close the skills gaps.Originality/value This is an empirical study that provides an insight into the skills shortages from a multi-organizational context. It highlights the effects of organizational characteristics in relation to skills shortages and provides a foundation to support the skills needed in the context of national and global organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Graduate development programmes are a well-established strategy for recruiting graduates into the sector at the start of a lifetime public service career. There are indications, however, that public sector careers are becoming less secure and less long term in keeping with overall career trends across all sectors, a trend that has seen the emergence of employment contracts based on employability rather than job security. The purpose of this paper is to explore a graduate development programme offered by a state-based Australian public sector organisation to identify the extent to which it reflects and supports the shift to an employability-based contract from the perspective of programme participants.Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants from three intakes of a public sector graduate development programme. Data were analysed through identification of first- and second-order themes as well as cross-case comparison.Findings Findings indicate that the one-year development programme partially supports an employability-based contract. The organisation could not promise ongoing employment and job security but did assist participants to develop skills and competencies for the future through its formal training and development programme. Work unit support for employability was, however, much more variable and depended to a large extent on line managers.Research limitations/implications The study was conducted in a single organisation and only included current and past programme participants who were still employed in the public sector.Practical implications The success of the programme was largely dependent on job placement and level of line manager support. Addressing these areas through better programme design and management can support the development of future leaders through opportunities for enhanced employability.Originality/value The study extends current research on employability by exploring how a public sector organisation provides support for graduates in a developmental programme from a participant perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents of the decision of whether to outsource human resources (HR). Two moderators are considered: the lack of in-house HR expertise and positive HR outcome.Design/methodology/approach This study uses data collected from 85 Vietnamese firms of different sizes. Regression analysis is used to examine the research hypotheses.Findings The strategic involvement of HR management is positively related to the decision to outsource HR. As expected, a positive significant relationship exists between cost reduction and the decision to outsource HR for non-core HR activities. For core HR activities, demand uncertainty relates positively to the decision to outsource HR, and the lack of HR expertise moderates the process of HR outsourcing (HRO).Research limitations/implications Although the focus on firms in Vietnam may help to control for cultural factors, it may also limit generalizability. Because of the limited number of samples, this study cannot compare results across different industries. Future research should focus on the cross-cultural aspects of this issue or compare differences across industries.Practical implications This study provides HR managers with guidelines for making appropriate decisions regarding HRO. Vendors can exploit aspects of core vs non-core activities to provide professional services that satisfy the demands of firms.Originality/value Based on a theoretical approach, this work analyzes the decision to outsource HR in developing countries, an area that heretofore has received scant research attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on two studies on thriving, the joint experience of vitality and learning, among workers aged 50 or above in the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approach The first study draws on the analysis of 920 surveys and links thriving to personality and employability. The second study is qualitative in nature and is based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with 13 interviewees who were all interviewed three times at different points in time as they transitioned from unemployment to employment.Findings The study found that neuroticism, extraversion and consciousness were related to thriving, while openness and agreeableness were not. Second, the study tested the link between thriving and self-perceived employability and found that thriving is positively related to employability. The study looked at how thriving changes when unemployed individuals become employed. The findings suggest that thriving does indeed changes when the environment changes.Originality/value This study contributes to the dispositional perspective on thriving by examining in what way individuals differ from one another in their predisposition to thrive by the use of the five personality traits. In addition, it adds to the literature by looking at thriving during transition periods. It extends previous research and highlights the importance of contextual features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Following a social identity approach focussed in the Greek healthcare sector, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of social identification on the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and psychological empowerment, and the mediating role of psychological empowerment between HPWS and quality of patient care.Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used in a sample of 297 nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals across seven hospitals in Greece.Findings The findings suggest that HPWS has a strong effect on healthcare professionals’ social identification, which in turn partially mediates the relationship between HPWS and psychological empowerment. In addition, psychological empowerment indirectly mediates the relationship between HPWS and quality of patient care.Practical implications The findings not only validate previous studies’ conclusions, but also provide evidence for the potential fruitfulness of the HPWS approach from a social identity perspective. In addition, it is also confirmed that without the presence of psychological empowerment, HPWS may have limited impact on the quality of patient care.Originality/value Although HPWS have been generally connected with positive employee attitudes and behaviors, few studies choose to follow a social identity approach in examining these relationships. Finally, this study confirms the argument that HPWS can be a fruitful approach even in a country severely affected by Europe’s debt crisis over the last five years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the conduct of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), based on a real-life case study of one company in Malaysia. The paper analyses the company’s process of recruitment outsourcing from beginning to end, in three sections: RPO decision, RPO implementation and RPO outcome. Design/methodology/approach – The case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with relevant respondents, including the country HR manager, the HR staff and operation managers in the organisation, plus with the RPO provider. Findings – The key findings, from a theoretical and academic viewpoint, are that RPO decisions and implementation cannot be fully or properly explained by one theory, but are better explained by integrating transaction cost economics, the resource-based view and the Agency Theory. The study also highlights the importance of involving end users in the RPO process. Research limitations/implications – While this single case study gives a clear, in-depth insight into the issues in this particular instance, future research extending to a wider range of organisations would serve to expand the findings and provide more generalisable results. Practical implications – Practitioners and service providers should be able to draw valuable lessons from the experience of Tech-solution, particularly from the different perceptions and levels of satisfaction about the service provider’s performance between internal HR and the internal end users (operation managers). Originality/value – This paper provides a specific and detailed analysis of RPO implementation in practice. It also addresses the call for more RPO outsourcing-specific research in the extant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the impact of human resource (HR) role overload and HR role conflict on the HR function’s involvement in strategic decision making and to examine whether conditions of environmental dynamism moderate the impact of HR role conflict and HR role overload in that relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected data from two sources, senior HR and top management team (TMT) executives. A total of 180 HR executives and 109 TMT members completed the survey. In all, 102 organisations were included in the sample with matched HR executive and TMT responses. Findings – Results did not support hypothesised negative relationships between HR role management and involvement in strategic decision making but did establish the moderating effect of environmental dynamism, such that these associations were more negative at higher levels of dynamism. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional nature of the study precludes making inferences about causality and would need to be replicated with a longitudinal design before stronger inferences could be drawn with regard to the relationships between the variables. A strength of the study however is the use of two sources of data to address the issue of common method variance. Practical implications – The research has implications for the potential value that HR provides in dynamic environments and the risk that HR role conflict and overload pose to the contribution that HR can make during these periods. Originality/value – The research shifts the focus away from the definition of HR roles to considering how these roles are enacted and kept in balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the development of a broader, multi-dimensional approach to talent that helps scholars and practitioners to fully understand the nuances and complexity of talent in the organizational context. Design/methodology/approach - The data were collected in two complementary research projects on the definition and identification of talented academics in the early stages of their careers. The first study focussed on defining and developing talent within university departments, in which the perspectives of management, policy advisors and talented employees themselves were taken into account. The second study investigated talent selection in the specific context of grant allocation by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Findings - The results suggest that the conceptualization of talent cannot be disconnected from its context. In particular, the perceptions of the different stakeholder groups in an organizational context have a major impact. Although talent is generally perceived as a combination of multiple components, this general outcome conceals the unilateral approaches to talent of the separate stakeholder groups. These unilateral interpretations of talent also affect the design of the talent management system. The paper describes the difficulties organizations are confronted within developing and implementing their talent programs. Originality/value - This broader approach regards talent as a bundle of integrated components, and takes the impact of the organizational context and its interrelated stakeholders into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define employability within the psychological literature with a focus upon perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the aim, the paper defines five objectives as follows. First, the paper discusses how employability is interpreted in the psychological literature. Second, the paper defines perceived employability within this literature. Third, the paper goes one step further by comparing the perceived employability approach to other approaches in the psychological field, namely, approaches based on competences and dispositions. The paper concludes with an integration of the three approaches into a process model to demonstrate their interrelationships, which the authors see as the fourth objective. With approach, the paper refers to a specific view on employability, including both definitions and measures, which share significant common ground. Finally, the paper highlights some implications. Findings – The paper concludes that each approach comes with specific advantages and disadvantages. Researchers and practitioners should use an approach according to the general research question one aims to address. Originality value – The authors believe to contribute to the employability literature in the following ways. First, the paper raises awareness that not all psychological notions of employability are equal, though they are often treated as such in the literature. Second, the paper highlights how perceived employability is tied to competences and dispositions. That is, though all notions are clearly different, they are also related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define employability within the psychological literature with a focus upon perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the aim, the paper defines five objectives as follows. First, the paper discusses how employability is interpreted in the psychological literature. Second, the paper defines perceived employability within this literature. Third, the paper goes one step further by comparing the perceived employability approach to other approaches in the psychological field, namely, approaches based on competences and dispositions. The paper concludes with an integration of the three approaches into a process model to demonstrate their interrelationships, which the authors see as the fourth objective. With approach, the paper refers to a specific view on employability, including both definitions and measures, which share significant common ground. Finally, the paper highlights some implications. Findings – The paper concludes that each approach comes with specific advantages and disadvantages. Researchers and practitioners should use an approach according to the general research question one aims to address. Originality value – The authors believe to contribute to the employability literature in the following ways. First, the paper raises awareness that not all psychological notions of employability are equal, though they are often treated as such in the literature. Second, the paper highlights how perceived employability is tied to competences and dispositions. That is, though all notions are clearly different, they are also related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether an outsourced recruitment service can provide a satisfactory organisational solution from the perspective of its line-managers. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a single, large organisation involving dissemination of an on-line survey targeting line-managers with a recent record of hiring new employees. Using quantitative analysis including correlation, multiple regression and binary logistic regression, assessment is made regarding manager perception, including experience as customers, overall rating of the recruiter and a willingness to recommend the service. Findings – Aspects of standard service, assessed in terms of operations and recruiter provision, are perceived as being at appropriately high levels, while the arguably more demanding external aspects of the recruitment process are perceived to be less successful. Line-manager satisfaction as customers and satisfaction with the recruiter are explained by various experiences of both service and recruiter, while willingness to recommend is explained in terms of customer satisfaction, satisfaction with the recruiter and recognition that the service provides added value. Personal line-manager experiences, perceived realisation of organisational values or achieving preferred line-manager recruitment objectives play no significant part in these explanations. Research limitations/implications – The research considered an individual organisation, with participating managers being solely from within. Further research could see the assessment being extended to other organisations perhaps at different points of maturity in their relationships with an external recruitment partner, as well as revisiting the participating organisation at a later point in time to assess potential changes in the relationships assessed. Practical implications – To enhance line-manager satisfaction with service and with the recruiter, aspects of process and recruiter contribution both play a role, while these satisfaction indicators, in tandem with an appreciation of added value will prompt a line-manager to ultimately recommend such a service. Originality/value – This centres on the assessment of an outsourced recruitment service from the particular perspective of its hiring line-managers, through evaluation of service satisfaction and willingness to recommend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – In recent years, the number of freelancers has increased considerably, especially in the IT and the media sectors. Additionally, the discussion around employability has intensified because of its relevance for employees in meeting labour market demands. Employability is especially important for freelancers as it has a key influence on their financial success. However, there is a lack of empirical research on the employability of freelancers and the competences associated with it. This article aims to reduce this research gap by presenting findings of an explanatory study on freelancer employability. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data in this article is based on 23 semi-structured interviews which were conducted with freelancers in the IT and media sectors. Findings – The results reveal that the employability of freelancers is shaped by technical, social and networking competences. Additionally, it is pointed out that the dynamics in the analyzed sectors are distinct and therefore the intensity of competence development and training is varying. Originality/value – The presented study contributes to research on freelancers as it stresses the necessity of employability for success at work. The link between employability and freelancers has not received prior attention in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Based on soft HRM and self-determination theory, the aim of this paper is to test whether basic need satisfaction mediates the relationship between five HR practices and HRM outcomes. An important distinction (in line with soft HRM and self-determination theory) is made between the presence of, and the quality of, a practice's implementation (in terms of the degree to which employees' talents, interests and expectations are taken into account). Design/methodology/approach – A theoretically grounded model is developed and tested using survey data from 5,748 Belgian employees. Findings – The results indicate that autonomy and relatedness satisfaction partially mediate the relationship between HR practices and HRM outcomes. Taking into account talents, interests and expectations within HR practices is associated with higher basic need satisfaction and subsequently HRM outcomes in addition to the presence of practices. Research limitations/implications – Future research could focus on HR practices and job design as both might affect basic need satisfaction and subsequently HRM outcomes. Additionally, behavior of the supervisor when administering HR practices can be further explored as a catalyst of basic need satisfaction. Practical implications – HR actors should be aware that merely implementing soft HR practices may not suffice. They should also devote attention towards sufficiently taking into account individual talents, interests and expectations of employees when implementing them. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the HRM literature by integrating soft HRM and self-determination theory into one model. In doing so, it sheds light on the possible pathways through and conditions under which HR practices lead to favorable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to examine how temporary employment and organizational size moderate the effect of human capital on firm performance. The authors also analyze the overall effect of human capital, temporary contracts and organizational size on firm performance. This enables them to identify which combination of these three variables leads to the highest levels of profitability. Design/methodology/approach – From a sample of 1,403 Spanish firms, the authors carry out a comparative analysis of the impact of human capital on labor productivity and return on sales among small and large companies with high and low use of temporary employment. Findings – The positive effect of human capital on return of sales is greater in large firms with low temporary employment than in small firms with high temporary employment. In addition, this positive effect is not universal because in some scenarios it is not significant. The most beneficial context is that of large companies with a high level of human capital and a low use of temporary employment. Research limitations/implications – The results should be interpreted within the Spanish manufacturing sector. Practical implications – Decisions about investment in human capital and the use of temporary workers should be taken jointly by personnel managers, in accordance with the size of the firm. If this holistic view is ignored, a full understanding of the impact of human capital on firm performance will be obscured. On the other hand, a common feature that large and small firms share is an incompatibility between human capital and temporary employment. Originality/value – Growing interest has been shown in the degree to which investment in human capital contributes to firm performance; yet limited research attention has been paid to the contextual conditions that moderate this relationship. Investment in human capital can be more beneficial in some scenarios than in others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to "bridge" two streams of HRM research: organisation level research on HRM and performance and individual level research on employee work perceptions and behavioural performance. This study seeks to analyse the value of organisation level HRM practices for individual level employees' assessment of the degree of violation of their psychological contracts. It also aims to examine the contribution of commitment HRM practices and traditional HRM practices in explaining perceptions of psychological contract violation. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a sample of 49 organisations with 2,099 individual respondents, the paper analyses the relationship between organisation level HRM practices and individual level employees' assessment of the degree of violation of their psychological contracts, using multi-level analysis. Findings – The findings show a clear positive influence of a number of HRM practices. More use of HRM practices leads to lower levels of perceived psychological contract violation for individual employees, regardless of individual characteristics. Commitment HRM practices explain about half of the variance in psychological contract violation that is due to the total amount of HRM practices. Research limitations/implications – A limitation of the study is its cross-sectional design and the measure of HRM practices, indicating more or less explicit attention for HRM in an organization, but not possible substitutable and synergetic effects between various HRM practices. Further research should therefore explore the effect of combinations of HRM practices. Findings however do indicate the relevance of organization level HRM for individual level perceptions of the employment relationship. Practical implications – It is in the interest of managers to have a clear knowledge of which organisational activities will elicit those attitudes and behaviours necessary to achieve organisational goals. These findings highlight the importance of HRM practices to contribute to employees' realistic assessment of the mutual demands of their employment relationship with their organization. The more HRM practices the better in terms of employees' psychological contract violation. Furthermore, the findings show the importance of commitment HRM practices, but also the remaining relevance of more traditional practices. Originality/value – This study combines insights on organisation level HRM with insights on individual level psychological contracts. Although the necessity of using multi-level analysis in these kinds of studies has been argued by various researchers, this study is one of the first to use this analytical technique, thus genuinely showing the impact of organizational level HRM practices on individual level HR outcomes (in this case the psychological contract). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Based on role theory, this paper seeks to investigate the impact of HR devolution characteristics (number of devolved HR tasks), characteristics of the HR devolution context (level of support from the HR department, and presence of institutionalised incentives to perform the allotted HR tasks well), and personal characteristics of the front-line managers (HR competency) on front-line managers' perceptions of two HR role stressors, i.e. HR role ambiguity and HR role overload. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a sample of 169 front-line managers from 47 organisations. The results are based on two moderation regression analyses, taking into account the nested nature of the observations. Findings – The results suggest that the execution of a high number of HR tasks does not lead to the occurrence of HR role stressors among front-line managers. However, for the HR department it is important to create an appropriate environment in terms of giving HR support and advice to line managers, and training line managers regarding their HR competencies. Research limitations/implications – This research opens up interesting lines of inquiry regarding the conditions under which the partnership between the HR department and line management can be successful. Practical implications – The paper provides HR practitioners with insights into the conditions needed to avoid perceptions of HR role stressors among front-line managers. Originality/value – The paper applies role theory in a new context, i.e. the HR role of front-line managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to investigate associations between self-rated employability (SRE) and affective organizational commitment and performance to probe the so-called management paradox, namely the idea that SRE relates to performance, but also to reduced commitment. SRE concerns the workers' perception about all available (quantitative SRE) or instead better (qualitative SRE) job opportunities on the internal (internal SRE) and/or the external (external SRE) labour market. This leads to four types of SRE: internal quantitative SRE; internal qualitative SRE; external quantitative SRE; and external qualitative SRE. Design/methodology/approach -- Analyses were based on a sample of 551 workers from nine organizations: a large Belgian organization providing human resource services, and eight schools. Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling, accounting also for sector differences. Findings -- Internal quantitative SRE associated positively with affective organizational commitment -- directly as well as indirectly -- through internal qualitative SRE. External quantitative SRE associated negatively with affective organizational commitment through external qualitative SRE. However, a direct and positive relationship was established between external quantitative SRE and affective organizational commitment. Finally, affective organizational commitment associated positively with performance. Originality/value -- This study is among the first to empirically test and prove false the management paradox. Another strength is that this study advanced SRE as a multi-dimensional construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The debate on human resource (HR) outsourcing is polarised. HR outsourcing is seen as an opportunity for the HR function by some and as a threat by others. The first view suggests that HR outsourcing is an instrument creating time for HR to become a strategic partner. The second view considers HR outsourcing as a cost-cutting instrument gradually reducing HR staff. The purpose of this study is to examine whether HR outsourcing is a manifestation of a strategic HR focus, a cost-cutting HR focus or both. Design/methodology/approach — The sample is obtained from an economy-wide, cross-sectional survey. The data cover 1,264 organisations with ten employees or more. Findings — Results indicate that organisations with a strong focus on HR cost-cutting do not outsource more than organisations with a weaker focus on HR cost-cutting. The analyses show a positive relationship between a strong focus on strategic human resource management (FIRM) and the level of HR outsourcing. Research limitations/implications — First, `this study examines the breadth of HR outsourcing. Further research might consider the depth of HR outsourcing. Second, as results are based on cross-sectional data we cannot draw causal inferences. Finally, future research might focus on the impact of HR outsourcing on the organisation of the HR function and internal HR customer satisfaction. Practical implications — HR outsourcing empowers the HR department. It frees up HR professionals to focus on strategic FIRM. Originality/value — HR outsourcing has been heavily debated. Yet, empirical research into the impact on the HR function is extremely limited. This study helps to fill this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this empirical study is to make a contribution to career theory in general, and to the literature on high-potential careers in particular, by examining the careers of real high potentials, taking place in the twenty-first century world of work, from the perspectives of the high potentials themselves as well as those of their organizations. Design/methodology/approach -- A total of 34 interviews were conducted within three study samples: high potentials (n = 14), organisational representatives employed by the same organisations that provided the high-potential participants (n = 8), and organisational representatives employed by organisations that did not allow for interviewing of their high potentials (n = 12). Findings -- The current study suggests that high potentials still have organisational-traditional careers. High upward mobility, low inter-organisational mobility and career self-management emerged as key features of real high-potential careers. Practical implications -- Implications are spelled out with respect to the "streaming" of different types of employees in the workforce and the importance of expectations management. Originality/value -- Not only are the viewpoints of individuals largely absent in the literature on high-potential careers, the majority of publications on the subject-matter are also non-empirical and take a rather normative stance. The interview study presented in this paper looks into the assumptions of real high-potential careers from the perspectives of the high potentials themselves as well as those of their organizations, providing empirical data that are interpretive and descriptive rather than normative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To ascertain whether any relationship exists between the main processes of human resource management involved in the internal labour market (training and internal recruitment) and the use of temporary help workers (THW) in Spain. Design/methodology/approach - Take into account the perspective complementary between internal and external employment systems, a questionnaire was sending by mail to a selected sample of companies to get information. Findings - The results confirm that a relationship does exist between the use of THW and training and internal recruitment. Also reveal the effects of the size upon these processes and the use of THW. Research limitations/implications - The main drawbacks are that of not using a wider sample. The findings will not be fully extrapolable to other countries. Future works could be directed towards testing a model of the relationship between the use of THW and a greater number of parameters, and a wider sample of miscellaneous countries. Practical implications - The training effort (TE) per employee and internal recruitment may be positively influenced by the employment of THW, which may be a source of motivation and increased productivity on the part of the regular staff. Originality/value - This paper shows that the use of THW could favour the appearance and development of an internal labour market, supporting the perspective that internal and external employment systems are complements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]