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Environmental volatility is a central construct in strategy studies. This paper argues that three factors confound the literature on volatility: asymmetry in conceptualization, asymmetry in operationalization, and lack of attention to level of analysis. These limitations inhibit the development of the concept and make much of the research on volatility non‐additive. However, environments do matter and to make better sense of it we need a meta‐conceptualization. To do this, the paper presents a process‐based resources‐oriented view of volatility that argues that the volatility experienced by the firm is largely a function of the resources it has available to meet the demands made of it. It is proposed that volatility originates from four basic resource configurations: managerial‐human resources configuration, physical resources‐conversion configuration, intangible resources configuration, and positional configuration. Propositions consistent with prior theories and incorporating the new resources‐oriented viewpoint are presented and discussed.

Creativity and innovation have been buzzwords of managerial discourse over the last few decades as they contribute to the long-term survival and competitiveness of firms. Given the non-linear, causally ambiguous, and intangible nature of all innovation-related phenomena, management scholars have been trying to uncover factors that contribute to creativity and innovation from multiple lenses ranging from organizational behavior at the micro-level to strategic management at the macro-level. Along with important and insightful developments in these research streams that evolved independently from one another, human resource management (HRM) research – especially from a strategic perspective – has only recently started to contribute to a better understanding of both creativity and innovation. The goal of this chapter is to review the contributions of strategic HRM research to an improved understanding of creativity at the individual-level and innovation at the firm-level. In organizing this review, the authors rely on the open innovation funnel as a metaphor to review research on both HRM practices and HRM systems that contribute to creativity and innovation. In the last section, the authors focus on more recent developments in HRM research that focus on ambidexterity – as a way for HRM to simultaneously facilitate exploration and exploitation. This chapter concludes with a discussion of future research directions.

Using a multilevel approach, this theoretical paper aims to build a framework to explore the cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions of human capital, which may in turn explain how they become a source of competitive advantage.

This paper presents several propositions to be empirically tested in further research using multilevel analysis. Starting at the individual level, four configurations of human capital are determined by considering cognitive and non-cognitive human capital. Based on these settings, interactions of human capital at intermediate or departmental level are discussed, taking into account the complexity of the task environment and psychosocial processes. These interactions constitute microfoundations, which explain why human capital may influence different types of organizational capabilities.

The theoretical analysis carried out allows proposing four configurations of human capital, combining individual cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions. These configurations form a human capital portfolio classifying different types of employees. In addition, this paper shows how individual human capital aggregates into departmental level and generates human capital emergence processes by contextualizing through the complex task environments and psychosocial processes. The development of these emergence processes enables proposing the association of certain organizational capabilities with cognitive elements of human capital (absorptive capacity, innovativeness and technical capacities), whereas a second group of organizational capabilities is linked to non-cognitive human capital aspects (organizational commitment, leadership and customer intimacy).

This paper combines individual dimensions in the study of the content of human capital from a multilevel and microfoundational approach, explaining the effects of emerging human capital on different organizational capabilities when human capital is contextualized at departmental level. This theoretical paper is a new step towards understanding and measuring the concept of human capital, enriching the resource-based view framework.

Utilizando un enfoque multidimensional, este paper teórico tiene como objetivo el diseño de un marco conceptual que explore las dimensiones cognitivas y no cognitivas del capital humano, de cara a explicar cómo puede convertirse en fuente de ventaja competitiva.

En este artículo se presentan varias proposiciones teóricas que pueden ser testadas empíricamente en investigaciones futuras a través de análisis multinivel. Comenzando a un nivel individual, se determinan cuatro configuraciones de capital humano, al considerar las dimensiones cognitivas y no cognitivas. En base a esto, a nivel intermedio o departamental se discuten las interacciones de capital humano, teniendo en consideración la complejidad del entorno de tareas y los procesos psicosociales. Dichas interacciones se convierten en microfundamentos que explican cómo el capital humano puede influir en diferentes capacidades organizativas a nivel de empresa.

El análisis teórico que se realiza nos permite proponer cuatro configuraciones de capital humano al combinar las dimensiones individuales cognitivas y no cognitivas. Estas configuraciones forman un portafolio de capital humano que permiten clasificar cuatro tipos de trabajadores. Además, este artículo muestra cómo se agrega el capital humano individual a nivel departamental, generando procesos de surgimiento del capital humano, los cuales se contextualizan por la complejidad del entorno de tareas y los procesos psicosociales. Dicho proceso de surgimiento nos permite proponer la asociación de capacidades organizativas como la de absorción, innovación y tecnológica, con los elementos cognitivos del capital humano, mientras que un segundo grupo de capacidades organizativas (compromiso, liderazgo, intimidad con el cliente) se asocia a aspectos no cognitivos del capital humano.

Este paper combina las dimensiones individuales del capital humano en el estudio de su contenido, desde una perspectiva multinivel y basada en microfundamentos, explicando los efectos del surgimiento del capital humano en diferentes capacidades organizativas, una vez que dicho capital humano se contextualiza a nivel departamental. Este paper teórico sería un paso más en el conocimiento y medición del capital humano, enriqueciendo el marco de la Teoría Basada en los Recursos.

Usando uma abordagem multidimensional, este paper teórico tem como objetivo a construção dum marco conceptual que explore as dimensões cognitivas e não cognitivas do capital humano, de modo a explicar como se pode tornar em fonte de vantagem competitiva.

Neste artigo apresentam-se várias proposições teóricas que podem ser testadas empiricamente em futuras pesquisas através da análise multinível. Partindo dum nível individual, determinam-se quatro configurações de capital humano, considerando as dimensões cognitivas e não cognitivas. Baseado nisto, a nível intermédio ou departamental debatem-se as interações do capital humano, tendo em consideração a complexidade do ambiente de tarefas e os processos psicossociais. Ditas interações constituem-se em microfundamentos que explicam como o capital humano pode influir em diferentes capacidades organizacionais a nível de empresa.

A análise teórica realizada nos permite propor quatro configurações de capital humano ao combinar as dimensões individuais cognitivas e não cognitivas. Essas configurações formam um portfólio de capital humano que permitem classificar quatro tipos de trabalhadores. Aliás, este artigo mostra como se agrega o capital humano a nível departamental, gerando processos de surgimento do capital humano, os quais contextualizam-se pela complexidade dos ambientes de tarefas e dos processos psicossociais. O desenvolvimento destes processos de surgimento nos permite propor a associação de determinadas capacidades organizacionais como a de absorção, a de inovação e a tecnológica, com os elementos cognitivos do capital humano, enquanto que um segundo grupo de capacidades organizacionais (compromisso, liderança, proximidade com o cliente) está ligado a aspectos não cognitivos do capital humano.

Este paper combina as dimensões individuais no estudo do conteúdo do capital humano desde uma perspectiva multinível e micro-fundacional, explicando os efeitos do surgimento do capital humano em diferentes capacidades organizacionais quando o capital humano se contextualiza a nível departamental. Este paper teórico seria mais um passo no conhecimento e medição do conceito do capital humano, enriquecendo o marco da Teoria Baseada nos Recursos.

The purpose of this paper is to gain a systematic and comprehensive understanding of deploying temporary agency work (TAW) in China in relation to the adoption, staffing pattern, and human resource (HR) configuration.

Based on the literature and theory of strategic human resource management, this inquiry identifies and analyzes three major components in the utilization of temporary agency work (TAW) in Chinese organizations.

The paper derives a framework to conceptualize the relationships among strategic vs ad hoc adoption of TAW, separated and mixed staffing patterns, as well as four HR on the utilization of TAW in the Chinese context..

This is an initial effort in exploring the phenomenon of TAW in China prior to the enactment of Labor Contract Law. The paper offers a conceptual base for further examining the evolution of TAWs in Chinese organizations.

The context‐based analysis of TAW's challenges existing frameworks in the Western literature. The resulting framework is an innovative effort for a comprehensive understanding of TAW in China, thus enriches the existing literature.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) internationalisation from an emerging market perspective. It explores and applies human resource management (HRM) processes to small businesses’ internationalisation efforts in order to ascertain the extent to which human- and technology-oriented barriers to internationalisation can be better understood and their processes better managed by SMEs.

The data collection and analysis involved a mixed method technique so as to identify the two dominant barriers faced by SMEs at the employer and employee levels. By using primary survey data obtained from 212 Bangladeshi SMEs, a partial least square based structural equation model was successfully validated and its development enhanced the comparison of processes involved in managing people and technology-type barriers.

The research results highlight the importance of HRM processes in the proper management of both human and technology-type barriers, which are equally as significant to SMEs’ internationalisation.

The results highlight the urgent need for governments in emerging economies to prioritise SMEs’ internationalisation and to dedicate resources and processes in order to effectively optimise economic and social dividends. The practical, theoretical and methodological implications of the paper raise opportunities for further research in SMEs’ internationalisation and people management processes and practices as well as new policy guidelines.

The examination of the link between humans and technology is a much under-represented area in developing countries and the actual contribution of effective HRM processes in the context of SMEs’ internationalisation is missing. Applying HRM processes to these aspects serves to deepen the knowledge of small businesses’ internationalisation efforts and the contributed model enhances professional practice and theory development in these disciplines and in emerging economies.

While current human resource management (HRM) research on the relationship between HRM and employee well-being has focused on performance-oriented HRM (e.g. high-performance work practices), scholars have called to broaden the perspective and to explore HRM practices that are indeed well-being-oriented. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the empirical diffusion of well-being-oriented HRM configurations, the conditions in which these are used, and their associations with health, happiness and relational well-being.

Analyses are based on a probabilistic subsample of 1,364 employees in Germany. Employee data are used, since individual employees' perceptions of HRM practices are crucial for understanding the effects of HRM on employee well-being. Configurations of well-being-oriented HRM practices are identified using latent class analysis.

Findings show that (1) employees experience diverse configurations of well-being-oriented HRM practices, which differ in their investment levels and the specific practices used; (2) these configurations are contingent on organizational-level and individual-level characteristics and (3) these configurations have diverse associations with different well-being dimensions. Importantly, configurations characterized by higher investments are not always associated with higher well-being, and the highest well-being is associated with a configuration based on high investment in well-being-oriented HRM focused on support from supervisors.

This exploratory paper is the first to analyze configurations of well-being-oriented HRM practices. By focusing on well-being-oriented HRM it complements previous research which usually addresses how HRM systems designed to enhance performance affect employee well-being.

This paper explores the use of social media (SM) in Human Resource Management (HRM). Building on the configurational approach, the study investigates the existence of different configurations of social e-HRM, their consequences for the organizations and their predictors.

This empirical study draws on a survey administered to HR directors of 176 companies operating in Italy. Two-step cluster analysis, test for variance and logistic regressions were employed for data analysis.

Three social e-HRM configurations emerged – non-use, relational use and extended relational use – which distinguish different goals for using SM in HRM. The three configurations lead to similar outcomes for organizations, even if SM users, in general, enjoy greater success than non-users. Certain structural, strategic and HRM factors are systematically and variously associated with each configuration.

The study is based on cross-sectional research, and thus it is difficult to identify causal links between the variables. The study also relies on data collected in a specific national context, which limits the generalizability of the results.

The study suggests that different and equally effective social e-HRM configurations exist and that their presence is predicted by specific structural, strategic and HRM factors.

The study contributes to an emerging and still scarce literature on types, drivers and outcomes of SM use in HRM.

The paper seeks to analyze in depth the organizational requirements for the exploitation of human resource management towards increased organizational performance, and to provide a conceptual framework for the analysis of human resource management in learning organizations.

The paper takes the form of an extensive literature review on human resource management (HRM), organizational learning and human capital.

The major contribution is the Requirements Framework for the Adoption of Technology Enhanced Learning and Semantic Web Technologies, which can guide strategies of effective competencies management in modern organizations. This framework initiates an interesting discussion of technological issues that go beyond the scope of this paper.

The Requirements Framework provides the basis for an extensive specification of knowledge management strategies. A follow‐up publication will present the practical implications of the “theoretical” abstraction of framework and empirical evidence.

The paper is a very useful source of information and impartial advice for strategists, HRM managers, knowledge management officers and people interesting in exploiting human resource management systems in a knowledge‐intensive organization.

This paper fulfills an identified need to outline methods and technologies for integrated knowledge and learning and competencies management support in organizations.

This paper aims to separately consider studies from the three major economies, the USA, Europe and China, to illustrate differences and similarities. A comparison of these three clusters allows the author to conclude that the US human resource management (HRM) model was adopted by European and, subsequently, Chinese organizations through the mechanism of mimetic isomorphism. In addition, the majority of studies have confirmed that certain HR procedures have a positive impact on organizational performance.

The essay reviews and reappraises existing empirical studies in the field of HRM and organizational performance.

As European organizations adopted HRM configurations and the notion that HR should play a more strategic role from US organizations, the review suggests that Chinese organizations are now imitating US and European HRM. In all summarized studies, there is robust empirical evidence that the HR function is able to directly add value and improve organizational performance.

The study compares Chinese to Western HR functions and examines the effectiveness of strategic HRM by evaluating the existing research. At a minimum, in response to the title of the manuscript and the question, “do Chinese organizations adopt appropriate HRM policies?”, the general answer is yes. Given the mechanism of mimetic isomorphism, it can be assumed that Chinese organizations adopt the most efficient HR configurations from Western organizations. The summarized studies also support the prediction that subsidiaries of Western multinational organizations accelerate the development of the Chinese HR functions.