University of Twente Student Theses

The influence of employees' and line managers' attributions on job performance : a quantitative study on employee HR attributions, HRM co-production and line manager implementation attributions at Benchmark Electronics.

Vermeul, Caitlin (2014) The influence of employees' and line managers' attributions on job performance : a quantitative study on employee HR attributions, HRM co-production and line manager implementation attributions at Benchmark Electronics.

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Abstract:	This thesis uses attribution theory to investigate how the perceived motivation behind HR practices influences employee behavior. By looking at what employees perceived as the reason why certain HR practices are implemented, the influence on HRM co-production will be studied. HRM co-production is defined as the active involvement of employees in HR practices. When employees perceive that an HR practice is executed for reasons not beneficial for employees, but because of reasons of cost cutting, exploiting employees or because the organization is ordered to do so by its foreign headquarters, the level of active involvement in these HR practices will be low for employees. Using social exchange theory it is argued that the level of HRM co-production further determines the perceived HR intensity and eventually job performance. Such that when employees are actively involved in the delivery of HR practices, their perceived HRM intensity will be higher. And when employees perceive a strong HRM intensity, they will feel obligated to reciprocate to the organization by increasing their job performance. Next to these individual measures, a line manager perspective will be used with internal and external HR implementation attributions as moderator between employee HR attributions and HRM co-production. The research question to be answered with the help of these hypothesized relations is: “To what extent do employees’ and line managers’ HR attributions influence co-production and job performance?” The research methods that are used are mostly quantitative and for small part qualitative. The analyses are performed on an individual and line manager level. Employees and line managers were asked to fill in questionnaires. Line managers of each department were also asked to take part in focus group sessions which had HR implementation attributions as topic. The data analysis showed support for the hypothesized relation between HRM co-production, perceived HR intensity and job performance, such that a high level of HRM co-production leads to a high level of perceived HR intensity. In turn a high level of perceived HR intensity leads to a higher job performance. Unfortunately there was no support found for the relation between employee HR attributions and HRM co-production. There was also no support for HR implementation attributions as moderator between this relationship. The main implication of this thesis is the significant relation of HRM co-production with perceived HR intensity. This construct proved to be a viable concept for further research. Research on other predecessors and antecedents is strongly recommended. Other theoretical and practical implications, limitations and future research possibilities are discussed the final section of this thesis.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Clients:	Benchmark Electronics, Almelo, Nederland
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	85 business administration, organizational science
Programme:	Business Administration MSc (60644)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/65912
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