Premium
Differentiating HR systems' impact: moderating effects of age on the HR system–work outcome association
Author(s) -
Korff Jörg,
Biemann Torsten,
Voelpel Sven C.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of organizational behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.938
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1099-1379
pISSN - 0894-3796
DOI - 10.1002/job.2130
Subject(s) - psychology , outcome (game theory) , perspective (graphical) , association (psychology) , multilevel model , social exchange theory , human resource management , organizational commitment , human resources , moderation , industrial and organizational psychology , work systems , social psychology , work (physics) , applied psychology , knowledge management , management , psychotherapist , engineering , computer science , mechanical engineering , mathematical economics , artificial intelligence , machine learning , economics , mathematics
Summary Combining the macro perspective of strategic human resource (HR) management with applied psychology's micro approaches, this paper helps to differentiate the effects of HR practices on individual‐level outcomes by introducing two distinct HR practice bundles. We draw on social exchange theory to hypothesize (i) main effects of both growth‐enhancing and maintenance‐enhancing bundles on affective organizational commitment and in‐role behavior and (ii) moderating effects of age and maintenance‐enhancing practices on work outcomes, such that increasing employee age attenuates the positive impact of HR practices. The results of a multilevel study comprising 600 employees and their direct supervisors in 64 business units provide support for the hypothesized main effects on affective commitment and the interaction between age and maintenance‐enhancing practices on work outcomes. We discuss the results, theoretical contributions, and practical implications of the study, as well as future research directions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.