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The authors seek to explore the interplay between perceived training opportunities (PTOs) and knowledge sharing in the context of the emerging economic setting of the United Arab Emirates. The authors also examined the moderating role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and engagement in social interaction on the relationship between PTOs and knowledge sharing.

The study employed a survey method to collect the data and tested the proposed hypotheses by using the partial structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Data is based on 815 responses across all sectors in the country context of the UAE.

The study findings indicate that PTOs are positively related to knowledge sharing. Notably, the results show that the proposed relationship between PTOs and knowledge sharing is negatively and significantly moderated by intrinsic motivation. Moreover, the moderating roles of extrinsic motivation and engagement in social interaction were insignificant.

At a theoretical level, this article provides an individual-level analysis, which indicates that PTOs pave the way for intraorganizational knowledge sharing; hence, they offer insights into the mechanisms in which PTOs impact on knowledge sharing. This article also contributes to our general understanding on human resource management (HRM) practices and knowledge sharing in the context of the emerging economy of the UAE; the latter has a number of implications for both theory and practice as delineated in this study.

The resource curse literature suggests that firms operating in non-oil and non-gas industries in petrostates face considerable challenges in securing competitiveness and sustaining themselves. Based on a firm-level survey within a micro-petrostate, Brunei, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between specific HR policies and practices and organisational performance; analyse, compare, and contrast oil and gas with non-oil and non-gas sectors; and draw out the comparative lessons for understanding the potential and performance consequences of HR interventions in resource-centred national economies.

Data for this study were generated from a primary survey administered amongst the HR directors in companies operating in all sectors in Brunei. A statistically representative sample size of 214 was selected.

The authors confirmed that firms in the oil and gas sector indeed performed better than other sectors. However, the authors found that the negative effects associated with operating outside of oil and gas could be mitigated through strategic choices: the strategic involvement of HR directors in the affairs of the company reduced employee turnover and added positively to financial returns across sectors.

Developing and enhancing the role of people management is still very much easier than bringing about structural institutional reforms: the study confirms that at least part of the solution to contextual difficulties lies within, and that the firm-level consequences of the resource curse can be ameliorated through a strategic choice.

The nature of the present investigation is one of few studies conducted in South East Asia in general and in the context of Brunei, in particular. It also contributes to the authors’ understanding whether HR interventions can ameliorate the challenges of operating in a non-resource sector in a resource-rich country.

This paper aims to explore the strategic and evolving role of human resource management (HRM) directors within the context of underdeveloped institutional arrangements. The study focuses on India and conducts a comparative analysis of the roles of HRM directors in both multinational enterprises (MNEs) and domestic firms.

Survey-based data from the HRM directors of 252 enterprises were gathered for the comparative analysis, including both multinational and domestic enterprises.

HRM directors in MNEs lack the proficiency required to effectively fulfil their strategic role. In addition, there has been a notable shift in the responsibilities of HRM directors in MNEs, with increased emphasis on labour movements and trade union negotiations, as opposed to traditional human resource (HR) activities. This shift suggests that the role of HRM in MNEs operating in India has been influenced by local isomorphic forces, rather than following a “pendulum swing” between home and host country institutional pressures. The prevalence of informality in the Indian institutional arrangements may act as a strong counterforce to integrating the strategic agency of MNEs' home country HRM directors into the organizational structure. Despite facing resistance from the local institutional context, HRM directors in MNEs are responding with a pushback, prioritizing labour movements and trade union negotiations over core HRM activities.

The study highlights the broader implications for theory and practice, shedding light on the challenges faced by HRM directors in navigating incoherent institutional arrangements. It emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of local forces in shaping HRM practices within multinational settings.

We contribute to the comparative HRM literature by elaborating on power struggles that HRM directors face amid the dichotomies of formal power and authority that are encoded in the organizational structure versus culturally contingent power that can be accrued from engaging in informality. We also highlight their engagement in prolonged institutional mediation and change, which serves as a compensatory mechanism for the institutional shortfalls they encounter within the context of emerging markets.

Drawing on job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, this study aims to develop a model of how work engagement mediates the relationship between supervisor support and affective commitment, with religiosity moderating the relationship between supervisor support and work engagement. This study further tests a moderated-mediation model exploring the relationships between supervisor support, religiosity, work engagement and affective commitment within a unique institutional context where religious values and beliefs significantly influence and shape people management practices.

Using a survey-based approach, data were collected from 367 employees from the telecommunication sector in the context of Jordan.

Supervisor support was positively related to work engagement, which positively impacts affective commitment. Work engagement mediated the relationship between supervisor support and affective commitment. In addition, religiosity amplified the relationship between supervisor support and work engagement, and the mediating effect of work engagement on the relationship between supervisor support and affective commitment.

This study contributes to JD-R theory and pertinent literature by examining the moderating role of religiosity, an important yet neglected personal resource. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the interaction effect between religiosity and supervisor support in predicting work engagement. It is also the first to examine a moderated mediation model exploring the relationships between supervisor support, religiosity, work engagement and affective commitment.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the development of human capital by examining the interplay between different organizational mechanisms, including leadership, organizational culture and human resources management (HRM) practices. This study aims to enhance our understanding of how knowledge exchange influences human capital, with a specific focus on the unique context of Dubai, an area and context that have been underexplored in this research domain.

This study used a survey-based approach, involving 611 participants working across different sectors based in Dubai. This study used partial least squares structural equation modeling as the statistical analysis method.

The results of the study indicate that leadership behaviors have a predictive influence on organizational culture. In turn, organizational culture significantly affects knowledge exchange. Additionally, the study reveals that commitment-based HRM practices play a significant moderating role in the relationship between organizational culture and knowledge exchange.

This study contributes to the existing literature by providing valuable insights into the interplay between leadership, organizational culture and commitment-based HRM practices. By exploring these factors and their influence on knowledge exchange and human capital, the study enhances both the theoretical understanding and practical application in this field.

This purpose of this paper is to explore variations in the extent of control mechanisms, according to country of origin and organizational characteristics, in a challenging country of domicile.

A survey research design involving the use of a questionnaire as the primary data source was adopted. A total of 350 subsidiaries were initially randomly selected and contacted in person, or via telephone and e-mail, of which 147 agreed to take part in the study and responded to the survey.

The authors find that Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) from highly financialized Liberal Market Economies will be associated with a greater reliance on formalized control mechanisms; this will enable the MNE’s headquarters to closely monitor subsidiary managers according to objective measures, to ensure that the maximum shareholder value is released.

This study reveals a greater reliance on control mechanisms in larger firms, reflecting a desire to maximize bureaucratic economies of scale.

The authors find that the presence of expatriates regardless of country of origin leads to greater decentralization, suggesting foreign firms do not trust local staff.

This is one of the few studies of this nature conducted for the region of Middle East – and the only one the authors are aware of for Saudi Arabia. Further, it sheds new light on the impact of contextual circumstances on how closely firms monitor their subsidiaries, the challenges of doing business in the Gulf region and the consequences of the large-scale usage of expatriates.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated framework to indicate which antecedents of absorptive capacity (AC) influence its learning processes, and to propose testing of this model in future work.

Relevant literature into the antecedents of AC was critically reviewed and analysed with the objective of categorising and explaining the influence of AC on learning processes, including exploratory, transformative and exploitative learning.

By considering the level of learning, the proposed model demonstrates that the antecedents of AC vary, comprising exploratory, transformative and exploitative learning processes. Moreover, this study reveals the complex interplay between the antecedents of AC.

The proposed model was developed theoretically, thus pending further empirical validation according to environmental turbulence, knowledge characteristics and modes of governance. This study also urges researchers to explore whether or not the antecedents of AC differ based on organisational outcomes.

The model can be put into a testable template for use by researchers. It further guides managers in developing effective processes for learning to use external knowledge.

It is the first work to schematically bring together and discuss the antecedents of AC and its influence on learning processes, and further provides a framework capable of facilitating the empirical testing of this nexus.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the role of knowledge management (KM) in creating a culture of learning and creativity in a non-western context. It further seeks to stimulate broader empirical and theoretical discussions on this topic.

As little is known about KM approaches in the regional context, the qualitative approach was chosen as an appropriate method of studying this phenomenon. The openness of the qualitative method enables data collection that is not constrained by predetermined categories of analysis, and thus allows for a level of depth and detail that quantitative methods cannot provide. The empirical investigation is based on semi-structured interviews and conducted in the KM department of Dubai Municipality.

Results indicate that the impact of KM on organisational learning (OL) is below expectations. Written official statements or policies are not sufficient to enforce learning and creativity. Notably, institutional changes at the extreme produce conditions that might reduce the rate of OL. The role of KM is to develop context-specific strategies to embrace learning and creativity.

The developmental process as it unfolds in Dubai has hardly been addressed by academics. However, because of the absence of research related to the regional context in general and KM and OL in particular the authors recommend future researchers to explore the impact of institutional settings on managing knowledge and learning. Researchers can identify in this regard the complexity of an emerging economy and attempt to develop a more fine-tuned understanding of its relationship to KM and OL.

In light of the institutional structures, the findings on KM and OL provide managers guidance in making decisions under extremely uncertain institutional settings.

KM and OL have been discussed within organisational and management research; however, the majority of these studies adopt a western-based perspective. This paper contributes to the understanding of the relationship between KM and OL in an emerging market setting, which has so far received insufficient attention.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the HRM and organisational performance (OP) nexus by drawing attention to the complex interplay of internal and external factors affecting OP, and to further provide an integrated framework for the testing of this nexus.

Relevant literature is reviewed and assessed critically. A theoretical framework is provided with the objective to measure the HRM‐OP nexus.

Whilst the majority of the extant literature on HRM has focused mainly on internal factors, the authors suggest that the domain of the internal factors considered thus far needs to be widened and external factors need to be acknowledged explicitly. They provide a schematic model portraying the intricate nature of internal and external factors. They subsequently provide an integrated framework of factors in order to measure HRM practices' effects on OP.

The suggested framework is theoretical pending empirical testing. The framework can serve as a template for future research.

The framework can be put into a universally testable template for use by researchers.

The paper, for the first time, schematically brings together and discusses the elements affecting the HRM‐OP nexus, and further provides a framework in the form of a set of exhaustive factors – which will facilitate this nexus being put to empirical test.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

This paper identified that human capital is a key determinant in the success and performance of an organization. The paper also identified leadership as an important influence in terms of how human capital is managed.

The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.