Explanatory investigation of the moderating role of employee proactivity on the causal relationship between innovation‐based human resource management and employee satisfaction

• Author: Taiwo T. Lasisi,Ali Ozturen,Turgay Avci,Kayode K. Eluwole
• Published date: 01 May 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2051
• Date: 01 May 2020

ACADEMIC PAPER

Explanatory investigation of the moderating role of employee

proactivity on the causal relationship between innovation-

based human resource management and employee satisfaction

Taiwo T. Lasisi | Kayode K. Eluwole | Ali Ozturen | Turgay Avci

Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean

University, Famagusta, Turkey

Correspondence

Taiwo T. Lasisi, Faculty of Tourism, Eastern

Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North

Cyprus, Via Mersin 10-Turkey.

Email: taiwo.lasisi@emu.edu.tr

Funding information

Eastern Mediterranean University, Grant/

Award Number: BAPC-0B-18-02.

In this paper, combinations of structural equation modeling and moderated-

hierarchical regression were used to examine the causal influence of organization-

driven innovation-based human resource management on employee satisfaction

among passenger-contact employees in Nigeria. Further, we investigated the role

that employee's proactivity plays in the aforementioned causal relationship. Specifi-

cally, our result implied that with higher levels of proactivity, passenger-contact

employees benefited more from the positive contribution of innovative human

resource management than when proactivity is low. Theoretical and practical implica-

tions are suggested.

1|INTRODUCTION

In the recent past, advances in technology and its subsequent influ-

ence on how consumers interact with organizations and product at

large are changing the traditional approach to service delivery

(Abubakar, Ilkan, Meshall Al-Tal, & Eluwole, 2017; Elci, Abubakar,

Ilkan, Kolawole, & Lasisi, 2017). This realization meant that organiza-

tions now need to focus more on knowledge work, which is needed

to satisfy the changing taste and demands of their consumers. The

ongoing move towards knowledge differentiation among competitive

organization is hinged on the premise that employees are crucial

drivers for innovation and creativity that will lead to organization's

competitive advantage and relevance (Caniëls, 2019). In accordance

with the notion that successful organization must innovate and be

creative, several streams of literature have investigated both organiza-

tional and individual context in which such level of competence is not

only attainable but also sustainable.

One of such study is the work of Lee, Pak, Kim, and Li (2019),

which examines the change-oriented human resource management

(HRM) on employees' proactivity and group innovativeness. Their

conclusion was that employees' competence and motivation are

mainly predicted by the nature or style of human resource practices

in the organization as employees' psychological states duly influence

their behavior and actions. Many organization shows support

through adequate reward system that compensate employees for

the ingenuity of innovative employees. Some even go further to

implement selective staffing system, which favors specific qualities in

prospective candidates, that signals the commitment of the organiza-

tion towards the development of certain characteristics in their

workforce. In essence, the disposition of organization to human

resource functions has a crucial impact on the behavior and out-

comes of their employees.

In the present study, we aim to advance our knowledge of the

innovation and creativity process by focusing on both organizational-

driven strategies and individual employee behavior that enhance

employee satisfaction and in turn result in their ingenious output. This

view is in accordance with organizational support theory (De Roeck &

Maon, 2018; Rhoades, Eisenberger, & Armeli, 2001) that highlights

that employees' socio-emotional needs are assumed to be met when

they have a perception that their organization values their contribu-

tion and will reward them accordingly. Drawing upon organization

support theory, our contributions are threefold: to illustrate the influ-

ence innovation-driven HRM on individual-level employee behavior,

innovative work behavior (IWB) as well as satisfaction; to reflect how

this individual-level employee attitude and behavior rising from

innovativeness of HRM system shape employee satisfaction with the

organization; and to elucidate the moderating power of IWB on the

relationship between innovation-driven HRM and employee

satisfaction.

Received: 15 September 2019 Revised: 12 October 2019 Accepted: 30 October 2019

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2051

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