The Dynamics of Labour Flexibility: Relationships between Employment Type and Innovativeness

• Published in: Journal of management studies Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 715 - 736
• Main Authors: Martínez-Sánchez, Angel, Vela-Jiménez, María-José, Pérez-Pérez, Manuela, de-Luis-Carnicer, Pilar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2011; Wiley Blackwell
• Series: Journal of Management Studies
• Subjects: Automobile industry; Correlation analysis; Dynamics; Flexibility; Human resource management; Human resources; Innovation; Innovations; Knowledge management; Knowledge transfer; Organizational analysis; Personnel management; Structural analysis; Studies
• ISSN: 0022-2380; 1467-6486
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00935.x

This paper investigates the relationship between flexible human resource (HR) practices and innovativeness. Testing the research model in a sample of first‐tier automotive suppliers indicates that internal flexibility practices are positively related to innovativeness. Regarding external flexibility, the association depends on the type of contingent employee: negative association for ‘short‐term hires’ and positive association for ‘consulting/contracting firms’. The relationships to innovativeness for practices associated with knowledge transfer are moderated by environmental dynamism, but the non‐knowledge related practices are not. Firms in highly dynamic environments can benefit more from flexible HR practices than firms in less dynamic environments.