The nature of high -involvement work systems: A test of competing models

• Main Author: Mendelson, Morris B
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Decision making; Employment; Empowerment; Human resource management; Management; Studies; Work environment
• ISBN: 9780494010877; 0494010878

The purpose of the present research was to test alternate models of the underlying nature of high involvement work systems defined in this study as consisting of eight organizational practices (i.e., employment security, selective hiring, extensive training, contingent compensation, teams and decentralized decision-making, information sharing, reduced status distinctions and transformational leadership). In Study One, measures of high involvement work practices were developed or adapted from previous research, and their reliabilities were calculated. Study One was conducted with part-time MBA students working on a full-time basis attending a mid-sized Canadian university. Participants were asked to report on their perceptions of the presence and effectiveness of various human resource practices in their organization. In Study Two, confirmatory factor analyses were computed to assess the fit of five alternative models. Employees from six public and private organizations were asked to complete a survey of measures that had been identified as reliable in Study One. In addition, these participants were asked to rate their own work attitudes (i.e., affective commitment, continuance commitment, job satisfaction) to assess the level of discriminant and convergent validity of the models tested. The results support the High Involvement Work System Second Order Factor Model for both the perceived presence and effectiveness of practices. The model demonstrated both convergent and discriminant validity. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.