Literature on Intellectual Capital provides interesting arguments about the key role of social and human capital, not only separately but also jointly, for innovation activities. Thus, given the acknowledged importance of these variables, this article studies (1) the direct relationship between social and human capital and innovative performance, (2) the links between these two components of intellectual capital, as well as the possible mediating role of human capital, (3) the effect of particular human resource management (HRM) practices (selection procedures, development programmes, empowerment and use of incentives on compensation) on social and human capital, and (4) the influence of innovative performance on firm performance. In our study, we define a population of firms in the most innovative Spanish sectors for an empirical test of this model, focusing on their R&D departments. Using data taken from 85 firms and applying Structural Equation Models, we have tested the hypotheses and obtained interesting results. It is the uniqueness of human capital, and not its value, which has a direct and positive effect on firm innovativeness. Such uniqueness, in turn, is enhanced through social capital and HRM practices such as empowerment and employee selection based on learning potential and interpersonal abilities. Social capital does not have, per se, a direct influence on innovation, but it indirectly does through human capital. Social capital, in turn, can be enhanced by the selection of individuals with learning potential and interpersonal skills, as well as by their involvement in decision-making processes. Finally, innovation improves firm performance.

The objective of this paper is to test how human resources management (HRM) practices and employees' knowledge infl uence the development of innovative capabilities and, by extension, a fi rm's performance. Results confi rm that HRM practices are not directly associated with innovation unless they take into account employees' knowledge. Specifi cally, our analyses establish a mediating role for the uniqueness of knowledge between collaborative HRM practices and innovative activity, a positive infl uence of knowledge-based HRM practices on valuable knowledge, and a positive contribution of innovations to the company's profi t. We tested hypotheses in a sample of fi rms from the most innovative Spanish industries through structural equation modeling.

No abstract

Despite continuing interest in employees' well‐being, there are still large gaps in our understanding of the mediating role this concept plays in the human resource management (HRM)–performance relationship. In addition, more insights as to how HRM is implemented by leaders are required, as studies largely center either on leadership or on HRM, with little research addressing how HRM and leadership jointly determine employees' well‐being and performance. This study examines the link between well‐being‐oriented human resource management (WBHRM) and performance in a sample of very large organizations, based on the job demands–resource model and social exchange theory. In addition, we explore the moderating role of middle managers' leadership in the relationship between WBHRM and employees' well‐being. The results reveal that engaging leadership behavior fosters genuine implementation of WBHRM and has a direct impact on employees' performance.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership (TFL), organizational learning capability (OLC) and happiness at work (HAW), and offers a new measure for HAW. Design/methodology/approach The authors used confirmatory factor analysis to test the theoretical model in order to check the psychometric properties of HAW. They examined a sample of 167 medical staff working in allergy units, which represents a response rate of 25 per cent. Findings The research showed that HAW can be measured using the proposed new measurement scale, and that TFL predicts HAW through the mediating role of OLC. Practical implications The results suggest that hospital managers and heads of allergy services should consider the effects of TFL, under certain learning conditions, to enhance HAW. Originality/value This research is the first that examines the effects of TFL and OLC on HAW, a higher order construct that has been implemented closely following previous research.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and innovation performance in Spanish manufacturing firms. The paper focuses on the number of existing patents, analyzing the extent to which this variable is favored by HRM practices. It will also assess the extent to which patents explain the firm performance and mediate in the relationship between the latter and HRM practices. Design/methodology/approach The objective is to assess these relationships using the Spanish Survey of Industrial Strategic Behavior. The longitudinal analysis focuses on the years between 2001 and 2008, a period of great economic growth in Spain. Findings The findings show that the most innovative firms were also the most competitive ones. Furthermore, employment security positively affects innovations over time and training on new technologies is associated with the number of patents, when overall compensation practices are high. Practical implications This study demonstrated the existence of two objectives that HR managers should be aiming at. On the one hand, the development of patents should be a priority for obtaining better results over time. On the other hand, management should invest in HRM practices because they favor innovation and are neither a waste of time nor resources. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature, surpassing the limitations of previous research, by assessing the role of HRM practices in innovation and company outcomes and by using a longitudinal study design.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the antecedents of the development of dynamic capabilities from an HRM perspective, considering the leading role of leadership styles and their potential impact on the orientation of HR systems and a firm’s capabilities. Design/methodology/approach The authors designed an empirical study of a sample of 107 Spanish industrial firms, asking HR, production and marketing managers to assess the CEO’s leadership styles, the system of HRM practices applied in their organizations and dynamic capabilities. They applied multiple regressions and mediation analysis. Findings The authors’ results suggest that both transactional and transformational leadership styles are positively associated with dynamic capabilities (sensing, seizing and reconfiguration), directly and indirectly, through their effects on HR systems. Research limitations/implications This paper approaches dynamic capabilities by using cross-sectional data. A longitudinal analysis would enrich this study. Also, the data aggregation in this paper does not allow to check different HR orientations from different departments. Finally, other HRM practices and strategic orientations could be assessed. Practical implications This paper highlights the need to develop CEOs who are able to combine leadership behaviors in such a way that they promote HR systems (skill-based development vs job-based development) and to use them as mediating mechanisms and in order to generate greater dynamic capabilities in the organization. Originality/value The authors are proposing that HRM can be applied to leverage a firm’s competitive advantage, as HR systems mediate for obtaining different dynamic capabilities. Second, it could be concluded that any CEO should combine or display traits of both forms of leadership styles (transformational and transactional) in order to develop the full range of dynamic capabilities. Finally, this paper can provide some insights into the way dynamic capabilities can be measured and approached, through HRM microfoundations.

PurposeThis paper has three purposes: first, to study whether organizational learning capability (OLC) is related to human resource management (HRM) practices such as selection, development, appraisals and rewards; second, to assess to what extent the value and uniqueness of human capital is associated with OLC; and lastly, to consider the possible mediating role of human capital in the relationships between HRM practices and OLC.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted with a sample of companies in the most innovative sectors of Spanish industry, applying the partial least squares (PLS) technique.FindingsThe results in this paper demonstrate the direct association of selection and appraisals practices and both dimensions of human capital with learning. Furthermore, developmental practices are associated with the value of human capital, and the selection and appraisal practices are related to uniqueness. Therefore, human capital is partially mediating the relationships between HRM practices and OLC.Research limitations/implicationsThe principal limitation of the paper comes from the cross‐sectional nature of the research, especially the dynamic character of the OLC and the absence of causality test, which requires the necessity of a longitudinal study design.Practical implicationsThe results of this paper suggest first that a firm focused on learning needs to incorporate HRM practices such as potential‐based selection and appraisals. Second, it is also necessary to take into consideration that learning is associated with a firm's human capital of greater value and/or uniqueness. Third, the management of the value and uniqueness of human capital requires different HRM practices in each case. This will allow managers to apply appropriate HRM practices according to the type of human capital that is needed.Originality/valueThe results in the paper suggest a relationship between human capital and the value and uniqueness of employees' knowledge and this human capital is associated to HRM practices. A final contribution of this paper is the assumption of human capital as a mediating variable in the relationship between HRM practices and OLC.