AN EXPLORATORY ASSESSMENT OF THE LINKAGES BETWEEN HRM PRACTICES, ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, AND INNOVATION IN OUTSOURCING RELATIONSHIPS

Michael R. Weeks () and Stephanie Thomason
Additional contact information
Michael R. Weeks: Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd, Box O, Tampa FL 33606, USA
Stephanie Thomason: Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd, Box O, Tampa FL 33606, USA

International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), 2011, vol. 15, issue 02, 303-334

Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between innovation outcomes, absorptive capacity and human resource management practices in information technology outsourcing relationships. Previous research has highlighted the need for absorptive capacity to achieve innovation in organizations. Since this absorptive capacity is likely to be embodied within the relationship management teams of both the supplier and client in outsourcing dyads, the human resource practices of the participating firms should have a direct bearing on levels of absorptive capacity and innovation outcomes for the relationships. This research examined four large IT relationships as case studies and presents a model of inter-organizational innovation that shows the necessity of developing the appropriate absorptive capacity to achieve innovation in outsourcing environments. From this model, the research presents three HRM practices that can help develop absorptive capacity to support innovation activities: retention of client employees with firm-specific business process knowledge rather than technical knowledge; minimization of legacy hiring practices for suppliers; and maintaining and optimal work group size for relationship management teams on both the client and supplier sides of the relationship.

Keywords: Human resource management; outsourcing; information technology; absorptive capacity; innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S1363919611003179
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:15:y:2011:i:02:n:s1363919611003179

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from

DOI: 10.1142/S1363919611003179

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim) is currently edited by Joe Tidd

More articles in International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim) from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Tai Tone Lim ().