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HRM and product innovation: does innovative work behaviour mediate that relationship?

Raquel Sanz-Valle (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain)
Daniel Jiménez-Jiménez (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain)

Management Decision

ISSN: 0025-1747

Article publication date: 30 January 2018

Issue publication date: 4 June 2018

2282

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse the mediator effect of innovative work behaviour (IWB) between the firm’s human resource management system and product innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 225 Spanish manufacture companies. Hypotheses are tested using structured equation modelling. The structural model is estimated through partial least squares modelling.

Findings

The results provide strong evidence about the effect of the system of human resource management practices on both, employee’s IWB and product innovation. Furthermore, findings support the idea that employee’s IWB mediates the relationship between human resource management and product innovation.

Research limitations/implications

Although the study counts with the limitations of cross-sectional studies, its findings suggest that employees’ IWB fosters product innovation and that the adoption of a high-performance work system is positively associated to such behaviour.

Practical implications

This paper shows that companies seeking to foster product innovation should pay attention to their employees’ behaviour. In particular, they should promote that employees engage in innovative behaviours, and that adopting high-performance human resource management practices can help in this line.

Originality/value

Although a number of studies suggest that IWB is a key determinant of innovation and a mediator in the link between human resource management and innovation, there is no empirical research examining these relationships. This paper covers this gap detected in the literature and provides evidence supporting them.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding received from the Spanish Ministry for Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Research Project ECO2017-88987-R) and BMN.

Citation

Sanz-Valle, R. and Jiménez-Jiménez, D. (2018), "HRM and product innovation: does innovative work behaviour mediate that relationship?", Management Decision, Vol. 56 No. 6, pp. 1417-1429. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2017-0404

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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