University of Twente Student Theses

Can Individual, Group and Organizational Learning explain the Human Resource Development - Employee Performance Relationship? A multilevel study in small, medium- and large-size organizations

Held, Hanna E. (2012) Can Individual, Group and Organizational Learning explain the Human Resource Development - Employee Performance Relationship? A multilevel study in small, medium- and large-size organizations.

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Abstract:	Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) encloses the human resource (HR) activities that are planned in alignment with the organization's strategy in order to reach its competitive advantage (Wright & McMahan, 1992). HR practices are used to reach this competitive advantage by increasing productivity and performance (Clardy, 2008) through its influence on employees' knowledge, skills and abilities (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004). Although there is scientific support that HR practices can improve performance (Nishii & Wright, 2008; Combs, Liu, Hall, & Kitchen, 2006; Becker & Huselid, 2006), it is still not clear how this link occurs (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004). Bowen and Ostroff (2004) and Nishii and Wright (2008) ask for illumination of the so-called "black box" by showing how HRM and performance are related. When examining HR practices, researchers have primarily focused on intended HR policies investigated at the top and HR management level. They neglected how HR practices have actually been implemented by line managers and perceived by employees. The present study concentrates on one major element within the domain of HRM, namely the development of the human resource, measured as intended and perceived. Human Resource Development (HRD), as a crucial part of HRM, is an effective instrument to reach the competitative advantage (Horwitz, 1977). Thus, HRD aims to increase the individual learning capacity (ILC), the team or group learning capacity (GLC) and the organizational learning capacity (OLC) in order to contribute to individual and organizational performance (Chalofsky, 1992; Berge, Vernail, Berge, Davis, & Smith, 1994). In order to test for the hypotheses, the study is conducted within 30 small, medium- and large-size organizations within Germany and the Netherlands. The participants were 223 employees and 35 HR managers. The results showed that intended and perceived HRD are positively related to each other and both have a positive relationship with employee performance. In addition, the three learning capacities are significantly related to each other. The relationship between intended HRD and employee performance is mediated by ILC. The relationship between perceived HRD and employee performance is mediated by all three learning capacities. However, when all three variables are added at the same time, ILC shows to mediate the relationship alone. Future research will have to show in how far different factors play a role in the HRD - employee performance relationship. Future research should be use different measures in order to avoid common method variance. Overall, attentions has to drawn to this research area.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	77 psychology
Programme:	Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/62440
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