Innovation in SMEs; Strategic human resource practices and innovation performance: The mediating role of employees’ innovative work behaviour
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2016-08-29
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en
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Abstract
The literature proposes human resource practices as a driver of employees’ innovative work behaviour. Although it has never been empirically tested, a specific human resource instrument that is supposed to stimulate the innovative thinking of employees is the ‘Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument’. Furthermore, it is suggested that the innovative work behaviour of employees affects the innovation performance of a company. However, this has never been investigated for small and-medium sized enterprises. Therefore, this study investigates the mediating effect of innovative work behaviour on the relationship between human resource practices (including the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument) and the innovation performance of small and-medium sized enterprises. A sample of 79 employees of a Dutch company, operating in the information technology service sector, has been used in order to conduct this study. By means of an online survey that has been sent to the employees of the company, quantitative data have been assembled. A regression analysis revealed that innovative work behaviour does not mediate the proposed relationship. However, human resource practices positive influence both the innovative work behaviour and the innovation performance of SMEs. In particular, the human resource practice ‘job design’ turned out to be an important driver of innovative work behaviour and the practice ‘team development’ an important driver of the innovation performance. Moreover, also the ‘Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument’ turned out to significantly influence both the innovative work behaviour and the innovation performance of SMEs. Finally, there is a significant difference between employees that do have and employees that do not have a managerial function when it comes to the relationship between human resource practices/ the ‘Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument’ and their innovative work behaviour. This study provides new insights with regard to the literature of innovation in small and-medium sized enterprises and in particular to the literature about innovation in the information technology service sector. The results of this study are particularly interesting for HR managers who want to stimulate innovation within their organization.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen