Many previous studies showed that HRM system had positive effects on organizational performance. However, littler research systematically investigated the relationship between HRM and technological innovation. In addition, few studies actually explore...
Many previous studies showed that HRM system had positive effects on organizational performance. However, littler research systematically investigated the relationship between HRM and technological innovation. In addition, few studies actually explored the causal mechanism through which HRM system led to greater organizational performance. This thesis attempted to fill this gap. Based on previous research on strategic HRM and organizational capability, this thesis proposed human resource capability which is required to achieve technological innovation ambidexterity (i.e., simultaneous pursuit of exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation). To derive human resource capability, two dimensions are used: (1) factor of human resource capability (skill vs. behavior); and (2) nature of human resource capability (component vs. combinative capability). Juxtaposing these two dimensions, this thesis generated four human resource capabilities: (1) T-shaped skill (component skill); (2) technology brokering (combinative skill); (3) personal initiative (component behavior); and (4) cooperation (combinative behavior). To find out specific mechanism, this thesis investigated the mediation effect of human resource capability on the relationship between high commitment HRM system and technological innovation ambidexterity. In addition, this thesis also tested the moderation effect of control mechanism over R&D center on the relationship between human resource capability and technological innovation ambidexterity.
The results showed that high commitment HRM had positive effects on both human resource capability and technological innovation ambidexterity and that human resource capability fully mediated between high commitment HRM system and technological innovation ambidexterity. And the difference of fund ratio between corporate and business unit significantly moderated the relationship between human resource capability and technological innovation ambidexterity.
This thesis has some unique contributions to strategic HRM research. First of all, this research used technological innovation ambidexterity as a dependent variable, which is rarely found in previous studies. Furthermore, this thesis also suggested human resource capability as a mediator between HRM system and technological innovation ambidexterity. Practically, the results of this thesis provide some valuable guidelines for the ways of organizing and managing R&D researchers in the research centers.