How and when high-involvement work practices influence employee innovative behavior

Abstract

Purpose

Based on social information processing (SIP) theory, this study explores the cross-level effect of high-involvement work practices (HIWPs) on employee innovative behavior by studying the mediating role of self-reflection/rumination and the moderating role of transactive memory system (TMS).

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects data from 452 employees and their direct supervisors in 94 work units, and tests a cross-level moderated mediation model using multilevel path analysis.

Findings

The results suggest that HIWPs significantly contribute to employee innovative behavior. Both self-reflection and self-rumination mediate the above relationship. TMS not only positively moderates the relationship between HIWPs and self-reflection, but also reinforces the linkage of HIWPs. →self-reflection→employee innovative behavior. Furthermore, TMS negatively moderates the relationship between HIWPs and self-rumination, and attenuates the mediating effect of self-rumination.

Practical implications

The study suggests that enterprises should invest more in promoting HIWPs and TMS in the workplace. Furthermore, managers should provide employees training programs to enhance their self-reflection, as well as lower self-rumination, in order to facilitate employee innovative behavior.

Originality/value

This research identifies self-reflection and self-rumination as key mediators that link HIWPs to employee innovative behavior and reveals the moderating role of TMS in the process.

Citation

Wang, Z., Cui, T., Cai, S. and Ren, S. (2022), "How and when high-involvement work practices influence employee innovative behavior", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 43 No. 5, pp. 1221-1238. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-11-2020-0531