The impacts of high-commitment HRM practices on exploitative and exploratory innovation: the mediating role of knowledge sharing

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating roles of knowledge sharing behaviors (knowledge collecting and donating) in linking the relationship between high-commitment human resource management (HRM)practices and specific aspects of innovation capability, namely, exploitative and exploratory innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on quantitative approach and structural equation modeling to examine the correlation among the latent constructs based on the survey data collected from 281 participants in 95 Chinese firms.

Findings

The findings of this study support the mediating role of knowledge sharing (KS) behaviors in the relationship between HRM practices and aspects of innovation capability. It highlights the important role of knowledge donating and indicates that the effect of knowledge donating is more significant than that of knowledge collecting on exploitative and exploratory innovation.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should investigate the impact of high-commitment HRM practices on innovation capability under the moderating effects of organizational variables to bring better understanding on the relationship among them.

Originality/value

The paper significantly contributes to increasing knowledge and insights on the correlation between high-commitment HRM practices and specific forms of innovation. The understanding on mediating role of KS contribute to advancing the body of knowledge of HRM and innovation theory.

Citation

Than, S.T., Le, P.B. and Le, T.T. (2023), "The impacts of high-commitment HRM practices on exploitative and exploratory innovation: the mediating role of knowledge sharing", VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, Vol. 53 No. 3, pp. 430-449. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-10-2020-0196