City Research Online

Abstract

This paper draws on the Organisational Growth and Development (OGD) lifecycle model to extend understanding of congruence or ‘best fit’ theory within strategic human resource management (SHRM) debates on the relationship between high performance work systems (HPWS) and performance. With reference to management control theory, economies of scale and the availability of specialist managerial skills, the paper hypothesises that while an HPWS-performance relationship might exist in small, medium-sized and large firms, the relationship will be stronger in large firms than in both small and medium-sized firms, and stronger in medium-sized firms than small firms. Analysis of data from the British Workplace Employment Relations Survey demonstrates, however, that there is no association between HPWS and workplace performance in medium-sized firms, in contrast to the positive relationship between HPWS and performance found in large firms and between HPWS and labour productivity in small firms.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Wu, N., Hoque, K., Bacon, N., and Bou Llusar, J. C. (2015) High-performance work systems and workplace performance in small, medium-sized and large firms. Human Resource Management Journal, 25: 408–423, which is published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12084. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Publisher Keywords:	HPWS, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), performance, best fit, organisational growth and development
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Departments:	Bayes Business School > Management
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

Export

Downloads