The dynamic interaction between high-commitment HRM and servant leadership

Aaron McCune Stein and Yan Ai Min

Management Research Review, 2019, vol. 42, issue 10, 1169-1186

Abstract: Purpose - Based on social exchange theory and the substitutes for leadership theory, this paper aims to investigate whether an organization’s high-commitment HRM strategy can substitute for the effect of servant leadership in promoting employees’ affective commitment, psychological empowerment and intent to remain with the organization. Design/methodology/approach - This study’s hypotheses were tested with moderation and mediation analyses conducted on a sample of 172 Chinese employees. Findings - The results show significant negative interaction effects between high-commitment HRM systems and servant leadership, such that high levels of one will reduce the positive effect of the other on affective commitment and psychological empowerment. Further, the effects of high-commitment HRM systems and servant leadership on turnover intentions are mediated through affective commitment and psychological empowerment. Finally, support was found for a mediated moderation model where the negative interaction effect between high-commitment HRM systems and servant leadership on turnover intentions is mediated through affective commitment. Practical implications - The results of this study can help practitioners identify alternative means to influence employees’ positive attitudes and work motivation when implementing high-commitment HRM systems is not feasible for the organization. Originality/value - This study contributes to the leadership literature by providing evidence supporting the substitutes for leadership theory and describing the specific conditions under which this theory is valid, as well as contributing to the HRM literature by examining the dynamic interaction of HRM and leadership.

Keywords: Human resource management; Servant leadership; Social exchange; Strategic human resource management; High-commitment human resource management; Human resource management systems; Substitutes for leadership theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:mrrpps:mrr-02-2018-0083

DOI: 10.1108/MRR-02-2018-0083

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