Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a holistic and systematic conceptualization of the impact of strategic human resource management (SHRM) on the psychological contract. Specifically, this paper aims to explore how the alignment of HR-systems and organizational communication influences the congruence and breach of the psychological contract.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies the signaling theory as a lens to develop a typology of four “ideal types” of SHRM configurations, each characterized by differences in the alignment of the HR-system and communication quality. Based on this typology, the influence of these different SHRM configurations on the congruence and breach of the psychological contract is being proposed.
Findings
The typology shows that the alignment of HR-systems and communication quality impact differently on the formation and breach of the psychological contract. It highlights that employees require both, highly aligned HR-systems and a high-quality communication to form congruent contract perceptions.
Originality/value
The configurational arguments embedded in the typology allow the conceptualization of the interrelationships between the alignment of HR-systems, organizational communication and the congruence and breach of the psychological contract. The propositions derived from the typology can guide research on SHRM as an antecedent of the psychological contract and shed light on the role of the psychological contract as a linking mechanism between SHRM and the employees’ reactions.
The aim of this paper is to empirically examine the influence of organizational context on the implementation effectiveness of human resource management (HRM) practices with the aim of maintaining the health and well-being of employees, known as health promotion programs (HPPs). HPPs are a strategic function in HRM and play a crucial role in creating and maintaining human capital. Effective implementation is typically viewed as a critical prerequisite for the success of HPPs. By exploring the influence of organizational context on the implementation of HPPs, this paper offers a fresh approach to understanding HRM implementation in a relatively neglected area of research. To uncover contextual influences a multiple-case study in four German organizations operating in the chemical industry was conducted. Data was collected using a multi-method design consisting of an analysis of documents and 28 semi-structured interviews. The study is among the first to apply the categorical model of context by Johns to the investigation of the implementation of health promotion programs. The results contribute to a more nuanced view of HRM implementation by highlighting the interrelationships between contextual factors stemming from the physical, social, and task context and implementation fidelity. By providing initial empirical evidence of the mechanisms underlying this relationship, this study sheds light on the complexity and breadth of contextual influences during the implementation of HPPs and offers several theoretical and practical implications.
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