Xiaowen Tian

Integrating the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory with the institutional theory, this study investigates the role of labor market regulations in moderating the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and organizational performance (OP). The study posits that labor market regulations influence job demand and the resources to buffer job demand, and thereby the HPWS-OP relationship. However, these regulations can either hinder or facilitate the HPWS-OP relationship. Using hierarchical linear modeling in a meta-analysis of 59,265 business entities across 25 countries/regions from 246 sample studies available as of April 2024, this study reveals that stringent hiring and firing regulations limit the performance effect of HPWS, while strict work hour regulations enhance the functionality of HPWS. Moreover, centralized collective bargaining provisions do not significantly moderate the HPWS-OP relationship. This study enriches the theoretical understanding of strategic human resource management through a contextualized framework, highlighting the multifaceted effects of formal institutional environments on HPWS interventions and OP outcomes. It offers meaningful implications for managers in deploying HPWS and for policymakers in legislative development.

Current research has made significant progress in exploring the sustainability efforts made by domestic and foreign firms, respectively, but paid insufficient attention to the interaction of these firms in the form of sustainability practice spillovers. This paper aims to fill this gap by discussing the spillovers of ‘best practices’ of corporate environmental sustainability (CES) from multinational enterprises (MNEs) that have made increasing investment in green production in recent decades to local forms in host developing countries where environmental protection is relatively weak. In line with internalization theory, we contend that MNEs have to internalize CES ‘best practices’ in their affiliates across the globe, and such practices can spill over to local firms in host developing countries with poorer CES practices. The level of development of press freedom in the host developing country conditions the CES practice spillovers. This study tests hypotheses against firm-level data from a large-scale survey and finds robust evidence to support our argument. This study takes a quantitative approach to unveil the existence and boundary conditions of CES practice spillovers and suggests that policymakers need to facilitate the spillovers of such practices and that scholars need to further advance research in this area.

Integrating the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity model in human resource management with the eclectic paradigm in international business research, we examine the role of country-level human capital development in the high-performance work systems (HPWS) and organizational performance (OP) association. We posit that there is a substitution relationship between country-level human capital development and organization-level HPWS in shaping OP. HPWS generates a stronger effect on OP in countries with a lower level of human capital development and thus a greater need for HPWS to boost performance. Training & development plays a key role in turning human capital available in a country into talent resources useful in an organization, thereby strengthening the HPWS-OP association. This role is stronger in countries with a lower level of human capital development. We conduct meta-analyses of 56,868 business entities from 20 countries/regions in 232 samples from 1994 to April 2024, and find evidence to support our arguments.

This research examines how national culture influences the success of organizations in open innovation (OI). Despite the growing attention to the importance of national culture in shaping organizations' innovation activities, there is limited research that has linked national culture with OI to explain the variances in innovation performance. In order to address this gap, a meta-analysis is undertaken based on data from 1,460,700 firms and sub-firm units in 111 studies published from 2003 to 2019. This research finds strong evidence that national culture influences the relationship between OI and innovation performance not only in a linear manner as conventionally thought, but also in a curvilinear pattern. Specifically, out of the six Hofstede's national culture dimensions, four influence the OI-performance relationship in a curvilinear manner (individualism, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence), and the remaining two have either a liner (power distance) or insignificant (masculinity) impact on the OI-performance relationship. This research challenges the traditional linearity assumption of national culture's impact, enriches current understanding of the complexity and nuances of the OI-performance relationship, and provides practical implications for the effective management of OI projects across national borders.

In previous research, open innovation (OI) has been considered to be driven by the need for new or advanced technologies unavailable within a firm, and to be a process with the risk of leaking intellectual property to competitors. Drawing on the resource-based view, this paper contends that OI increases causal ambiguity and social complexity of the innovation processes, creates imitation barriers to competitors and provides “informal” protection of intellectual property. This informal approach is particularly attractive to firms in developing economies where the formal institutional protection for intellectual property is weak. Thus, contrary to conventional wisdom, the need for intellectual property protection (IPP) pushes firms to undertake OI. We test this argument against firm-level data from Vietnam and find supporting evidence: the need for IPP is a robust driver for OI regardless of whether the firm is located in a more competitive or less competitive context. Furthermore, the need for IPP is a stronger driver for small firms than for larger firms.

Existing research has produced mixed, inconclusive, and even conflicting findings on the impact of open innovation (OI) on innovation output. This article takes a meta-analysis approach, systematically reviews the existent literature to identify the main contextual factors, and statistically tests the significance of these factors in influencing the effect of OI on innovation output. Based on the data of 139 studies published by 2020, this article demonstrates that 1) OI has a stronger effect on innovation output in coupled OI (a combination of inbound and outbound OI) than the inbound or outbound OI alone; 2) OI has a stronger effect on innovation output in developing than developed countries; 3) OI has a stronger effect on innovation output at subfirm than firm level; and 4) OI has a stronger effect on innovation output in service than manufacturing industries. The findings have important implications for managers, researchers, and policy-makers.

Drawing on systems theory, this paper aims to search for a leverage point in a high-performance work system (HPWS) wherein a small change of a constituent part significantly enhances the effect of the whole system on organizational performance (OP). Based on meta-analysis of 59,207 firms and establishments from 240 sample studies up to December 2021, the paper examines the effect of HPWS composition, coupled with country of origin and industrial affiliation, on the HPWS–OP relationship. The paper finds that training and development serves as a leverage point to significantly strengthen the synergy of HPWS. However, this leverage point works in advanced countries rather than developing countries, and in service industries rather than manufacturing industries. The finding indicates that a leverage point is not omnipresent, but contingent on country of origin and industrial affiliation. This study has practical implications for managers, highlighting the importance of a leverage point to the HPWS–OP relationship and the contingency nature of the leverage point.

Purpose

This paper extends the institution theory to examine the relationship between high-performance work system (HPWS) and organizational performance (OP), and analyzes how country of origin interacts with performance measures and industrial affiliation in moderating the HPWS–OP relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper collects data of 60,142 firms and establishments in 252 studies published up to December 2021 and employs meta-analysis techniques to test hypotheses on the role of country of origin in moderating the HPWS–OP relationship in conjunction with performance measures and industrial affiliation.

Findings

The paper finds that, firstly, there is a positive relationship between HPWS and OP, but the relationship is much stronger in developing than advanced countries. Secondly, the relationship is stronger when OP is measured in operational than financial term in both developing and advanced countries, but the moderating effect of performance measures is stronger in developing than advanced countries. Thirdly, the relationship is stronger in service than manufacturing industries in developing countries, but no such variation is found in advanced countries.

Originality/value

The study for the first time unveils the important role of country of origin in interacting with performance measures and industry affiliation to condition the HPWS–OP relationship, and provides a coherent explanation based on institutional theory. The study sheds fresh light on the HPWS–OP relationship, and has important implications for managers.

Using the meta-analysis technique, this research comprehensively reviews the existing open innovation (OI) literature, systematically aggregates empirical findings on the impact of OI on performance to identify key moderators and statistically tests the significance of these moderators in influencing the OI–performance relationship. Based on a comprehensive dataset of 2,377,123 firms and sub-firm units in 171 studies published from 2003 to 2018, this research demonstrates that the OI–performance relationship is significantly moderated by three key factors: performance measure, OI approach, and level of analysis. This research helps explain the conflicting findings regarding the OI–performance relationship in the existing literature, and contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of OI practice.

This paper extends the resource-capability-based view in strategic management and discusses the capabilities for the firms to stay competitive in emerging economies. Faced with low levels of efficiency, technology, and skills, firms in emerging economies need to implement best management practices to overcome operational inefficiency while engage in innovation processes to address new opportunities. They have to develop the capabilities to enhance efficiency, the capabilities to undertake innovation, and the synthesis capabilities to combine the two to keep rivals at bay. The paper tests hypotheses against a data set of more than 20,000 firms from 36 emerging economies provided by the World Bank in 2012–2015 and finds strong evidence to support the arguments. The paper finds that the three sets of capabilities are positively related to productivity and, through it, financial performance.