How do high-performance work systems affect innovation performance? The organizational learning perspective

Abstract

PurposeAchieving organizational-level outcomes through human resource practices (HRP) as the basis of nearly all organizational improvements has remained relatively unexplored, which requires more investigations. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a framework to theorize how high-performance work systems (HPWS) can provide organizations with critical instruments for organizational learning (OL) creation that in turn leads to innovation performance (IP).Design/methodology/approachSurvey-based, multisource research was designed to examine the proposed model, using the data collected from 154 pharmaceutical industry-related companies.FindingsAccording to the study results, HPWS concentrating on enhancing practices of abilities, motivations and opportunities (AMO) were positively associated with OL, which could in turn improve IP. Moreover, innovation culture (IC) showed a significant moderating effect on the association between OL and IP.Originality/valueThe central originality of this research first is that HPWS acts as antecedents of OL capabilities contributing to firm-level IP; second, the relationship between OL and firm IP is contingent upon the level of IC in organizations.

Connecting the dots: a serial mediation of intellectual capital and organizational ambidexterity between high-performance work system and innovation performance

“…The first round of the survey was conducted in December, 2021–January, 2022, while a second round of the survey was conducted in May–June, 2022. A total of 303 and 309 completed questionnaires were returned and after cleaning and matching data, 298 questionnaires were retained for final analysis, yielding a response rate of 85.14% which is consistent with the previous studies (Mehralian et al ., 2021; Farzaneh et al . (2022).…”

“…Focusing RBV and KBV, study attempts to solve enigmatic HPWS-IP linkage as existing research lacks clarity on how HPWS influences IP (Mehralian et al ., 2021). Moreover, prior studies on the IC-OA relationship have yielded mixed results.…”

“…Organizations need to develop HRM practices such as high-performance work system (HPWS) that enables the employees to create and share new knowledge and ideas, which significantly helps in achieving innovation goals. These practices make firms more capable of converting their resources and capabilities into innovation performance (IP) (Mehralian et al ., 2021). Organization's innovation performance surges when HRM practices are in place that constantly and adequately ensure the creation, acquisition, sharing and exploitation of new knowledge (Shahzad et al ., 2019).…”

“…Nevertheless, the nexus between the HPWS, IC, OA and IP is complex and multifaceted. Firstly, from the HPWS perspective researchers are of the view that there exists a black box in HPWS and organizational outcomes relationship therefore; future studies should extend the literature by examining the mediation mechanism between the HR practices and organizational outcomes (Mehralian et al ., 2021; Bhatti et al ., 2020; Gursoy, 2018). Secondly, previous research has empirically examined the link between HR practices and IC vis-à-vis innovation (Kianto et al ., 2017).…”

“…Therefore, considering this literature gap, the main original contribution of the study is to develop and test an integrated model that empirically investigates the HPWS as antecedents of IC while OA and IP as its outcomes, particularly in the context of pharmaceutical firms where the number of empirical evidence is quite scarce. Pharmaceutical products are knowledge-intensive innovative products (Mehralian et al, 2018), and for efficacious development and delivery of new products in the market, a significant amount of knowledge is always required (Mehralian et al, 2021). Pharmaceutical firms to remain competitive in the A serial mediation of intellectual capital marketplace are also required to have an HPWS that may support the process of innovation.…”